Lanka air raid as Tigers fire shells towards Jaffna army base

Colombo, Jan 28 (UNI) Supersonic jets of the Sri Lankan Air Force today carried fresh air raids on suspected LTTE artillery gun positions minutes after the rebels fired several long-range artillery shells reportedly towards a key military base in the northern Jaffna peninsula, defence sources here said.

''LTTE terrorists have launched indiscriminate artillery shelling targeting Jaffna peninsula this morning. Troops have also retaliated to the attack targeting enemy gun positions with heavy artillery and multi-barrel rocket fire,'' the Defence Ministry said.

It, however, did not give any further details in terms of damage and casualties.

Residents of Jaffna told UNI over the phone that they could hear heavy artillery exchange for about two hours since 0900 hrs (local time) onwards.

''We could hear the artillery shelling for about two hours from 9 am, but we did not know what was going on,'' a resident running a shop in the Jaffna town said, adding that the situation has now returned to normal and the people were moving around as usual on the roads.

Meanwhile, the Air Forces said supersonic fighter jets pounded ''an LTTE artillery gun position at Kalmunai-point'' in the rebel-held Pooneryn region around 1145 hrs (local time).

The sources said they were waiting for the details of damage caused to the rebels during the air raid.

There was no immediate reaction from the rebels so far.

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