Colombo (PTI): Sri Lankan Air Force pounded areas in the LTTE stronghold killing seven militants aboard a truck whereas, 26 others including two soldiers lost their lives in clashes elsewhere in the island nation's embattled north, officials said on Friday.

The Provincial Council election date for the North Central and the Sabaragamuwa provincial councils is fixed for on August 23.All major parties and a number of independent groups conclude handing over of nominations for the North Central and the Sabaragamuwa provincial council elections this morning.The United People’s Freedom Alliance has handed over the nominations for all four districts of both the provinces for the forthcoming North provincial Council elections.

Finalized military reports received from the Wanni battlefronts yesterday (July 3) indicate several significant gains to the armed forces engaged in counter terror offensives against the LTTE terrorists. According to the reports, over 30 terrorists were killed and at least 35 injured during these clashes. In addition, 2 soldiers were killed, 2 reported missing and 17 others were injured, the reports revealed.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Chief of Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Donald Perera and Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka, in a bid to take stock of security concerns in the East had round of discussion with senior officers in the Security Force Headquarters, East in Minneriya last morning (3).

B. Muralidhar Reddy

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama has emphasized the paramount need for Sri Lanka to adopt a national strategy for maritime security, given her geo-strategic location in the Indian Ocean straddling the vital sea route linking the Orient and the West. He made this observation at a meeting held at the Foreign Ministry on 27 June 2008, when a Concept Paper on “National Strategy for Maritime Security of Sri Lanka” was presented to him. The in-depth study and analysis on this subject was commissioned by the Minister and conducted by a Committee appointed by him under the auspices of the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKIIRSS).

With more and more civilians living in North sneaking into government controlled areas, the LTTE has mobilized everyone and everything for what appears to be a "last stand," said Strategy Page.“Most of the Tamils in the north don't want to be part of that, but opposing the LTTE can get you killed. So those who can, are fleeing,” said the leading website on military affairs.

Retired Inspector General of Police Victor Perera was sworn in as the new Governor of the Northern Province, by Sri Lanka President by Mahinda Rajapakse, at a brief swearing in ceremony at the Temple Trees this morning. Lalith Weeratuna, Secretary to the Sri Lanka President was also associated in the ceremony.

The Security Forces engaged in the Wanni liberation operation, entered a decisive phase yesterday (June 30) as troops linked up the Mannar battle front with the Vavuniya battle front , making the biggest ever military front against LTTE in the western flank of Wanni. Army Task Force 1 that operated from the Mannar front and 57 division that engaged Vavuniya linked up with each other from the southwest of Periyamadhu last afternoon.

"The endeavour and commitment of the government is to ensure the victory of the people regardless of any challenge," said President Rajapaksa said today (01).

The President, speaking at the occasion of declaring opening the newly constructed bridge at Arugam Bay, said that the government has initiated massive development programmes while liberating people from the clutches of terrorists and that this development drive cannot be abandoned despite many conspiracies including attacks on journalists.

Liberation ‘Rice Bowl’!

Ruwan Weerakoon reporting from Mannar

On June 29, the Sri Lanka Army’s 58th Division liberated what is known as the ‘Mannar Rice Bowl’ which had been in the LTTE grip for 20 years.

The Government has taken steps to launch an English language training programme titled "English for All" in 130 centers island wide commencing from this month (July).  The project was originally developed at the Presidential Secretariat under the guidance of the Presidential Advisors in keeping with the aspiration of the Mahinda Chinthana with the object of improving the standard of English of school leavers and the general public.

Posted on July 1, 2008 by childsoldierrelief