27 dead in Sri Lanka Tiger land and air strike: military
Tuesday, 23 October 2007
COLOMBO, Oct 22 (AFP): At least seven Sri Lankan airmen and 20 rebels were killed in an unprecedented Tamil Tiger coordinated ground and air attack, military officials said Monday.
A four-member crew of a Bell-212 helicopter gunship were killed when they crashed in bad weather while trying to help colleagues under attack at the Anuradhapura military base in the north-central region, officials said.
Three airmen wounded in ground battles died in hospital while another 16 escaped with injuries.
"The military has spotted the bodies of 20 Tiger cadres killed in the military counter-attack," a military official in the area said by telephone.
Officials said two Mi-24 helicopter gunships were hit by the Tiger ground force which also destroyed an anti-aircraft gun position before rebel aircraft could bomb the base. Two fixed-wing planes were also damaged.
The base, located 212 kilometres (130 miles) north of the capital Colombo, came under "heavy" ground and air attacks under the cover of darkness, a ministry statement said.
Police clamped a curfew in the area as a search for the attackers got under way, police said.
The Tigers are believed to have a small fleet of Czech-made Zlin Z-143 single-engined light aircraft which were smuggled in pieces into the north of the island by boat and which can be flown from tiny makeshift jungle airstrips.
In the past, the rebels have carried out air attacks against the airbase adjoining Sri Lanka's only international airport as well as the main military air field at Palaly in the Jaffna peninsula.
Anuradhapura is an ancient sacred Buddhist city which attracts thousands of local and foreign tourist annually.
A four-member crew of a Bell-212 helicopter gunship were killed when they crashed in bad weather while trying to help colleagues under attack at the Anuradhapura military base in the north-central region, officials said.
Three airmen wounded in ground battles died in hospital while another 16 escaped with injuries.
"The military has spotted the bodies of 20 Tiger cadres killed in the military counter-attack," a military official in the area said by telephone.
Officials said two Mi-24 helicopter gunships were hit by the Tiger ground force which also destroyed an anti-aircraft gun position before rebel aircraft could bomb the base. Two fixed-wing planes were also damaged.
The base, located 212 kilometres (130 miles) north of the capital Colombo, came under "heavy" ground and air attacks under the cover of darkness, a ministry statement said.
Police clamped a curfew in the area as a search for the attackers got under way, police said.
The Tigers are believed to have a small fleet of Czech-made Zlin Z-143 single-engined light aircraft which were smuggled in pieces into the north of the island by boat and which can be flown from tiny makeshift jungle airstrips.
In the past, the rebels have carried out air attacks against the airbase adjoining Sri Lanka's only international airport as well as the main military air field at Palaly in the Jaffna peninsula.
Anuradhapura is an ancient sacred Buddhist city which attracts thousands of local and foreign tourist annually.