Now cornered in a mere 87sq.km land patch in the Mullaittivu district the psycho terror chief Prabakaran may have thought to showcase a stunt out of his sleeves on Friday (Feb 20) in the Colombo skies pushing for a turn of tables, drawing skeptical analysis from the 'Colombian elites' and draconian media stooges, while simultaneously bluffing out the war mongering diaspora community with an action package for consumption. All, to his dismay ended in a failed note due to the resilience of a combined effort from the Sri Lankan security forces.
The two LTTE improvised Czech manufactured Zlin-143 aircraft were brought down within an hour from its initial detection at Puthukkudiyirippu around 8.40p.m., due to rapid and precision anti-air gun fire. The two LTTE craft were making a desperate flee, losing sight of the initially designated targets in total disarray under the flurry of anti-air attacks. Well coordinated communication, early detection and the preparedness of the forces paid off, denying LTTE what defence observers viewed as an abortive attempt to disrupt the prevailing normalcy in South, despite the continuation of military operations in Wanni.
In anticipation of air threat, the city of Colombo was plunged into darkness as security forces made contingency manoeuvres fortifying all vulnerable locations, with specially trained gunners taking on positions awaiting the sight of enemy aircraft.
Prabakaran's waning of fortunes continue as the end game for him and his outlaws have neared after three decades. According to defence observers, the LTTE chief's, strategic calculations have gone haywire with LTTE finally losing its stunt craft during a failed seventh mission into the heart of Colombo. Sri Lankan security forces have made it clear; 'no escape this time', a very prominent feature in the present military surge.
Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa speaking to local media immediate to the destruction of the LTTE aircraft said, "We knew the LTTE was planning an attack, the moment the aircraft were airborne as troops in the area informed us of the air movement even before the radars had picked them up. LTTE may have used a straight road in their last stronghold for taking off as the outfit had lost all the airstrips to the troops during the past few months. "The Tiger craft flew over Mannar, Wilpattu and came to Colombo," he said adding that "it was their normal route."
"The troops would have captured the LTTE planes within days and the LTTE had acted before they lost the craft on the ground."They would have lost the planes anyway," he was quoted further saying.
Though many LTTE sympathizers are seeing making constant efforts to substitute the failed LTTE air mission to a 'Kamikaze type' attack it has now come to light as a 'hit and run mission' that never prevailed. An LTTE craft was gunned down crashing into the rear of the Inland Revenue Department, while the other fell after its pilot lost total control under the flurry of anti-air attack at Katunayake. An LTTE pilot was killed as a craft crashed into the Inland Revenue building after catching fire with the activation of the Colombo air defence systems damaging three storeys of the building and injuring 45 others including two airmen. Two of the victims both civilians succumbed to their injuries at the National Hospital. The other pilot's body was recovered with burns in close proximity of the LTTE aircraft wreckage at Katunayake.
"It is interesting to note that terrorists have not been able to release any of its improvised bombs despite nearly an hour flight and what more, the planes were shot down on the retreat adding more humiliation for the LTTE", a senior defence official said speaking to defence.lk.
The security forces have put in the last nails on the LTTE's rudimentary air capability as the Mullaittivu battles enter its final phase during the next few days. LTTE terrorists are now in all dire straits and this loss underscores the inevitable overall.
