Operation “Ellalan”: The battle of the fire that was lit in the heart
Operation “Ellalan”: The battle of the fire that was lit in the heart
22.10.2007 time 1.30 am.
The Anuradhapuram air base was in a deep sleep. The base, not knowing what was going to happen, was sleeping peacefully. It had so much confidence and pride in its security. But in a short time, the twenty Karumpulikal who were going to cause a great earthquake were waiting for the signal from the team leader Ilango. He was going to lead them on the field.
Ilango was observing the situation. He waited until the time was favorable for him. When that time came, he called the Karumpulikal close to him. He explained the final plan clearly to them.
“All the weapons we have are weapons that destroy enemy targets. We will fight calmly. We will go in now. We will fight. We will destroy enemy aircraft. We will show the Sinhala forces what the LTTE is capable of,” Ilango’s voice sounded firm.
“No matter what resistance you face, go quickly to where the MI-24 is. Do not let a single helicopter rise and destroy it. Then we will reveal it.” When Ilango gave permission, everyone started moving excitedly, readying their weapons for operation.
How many years had they waited for this day. How many hard training sessions had they been immersed in. Everything was for this day. Even the smallest mistake could turn everything upside down. That’s why the training was tough. The training was exhausting. But they did not get tired at all. Their thoughts were all about the target. They never ignored the instructor’s words at the training ground. If the training was a little tough, they would tease the instructor in the shelter.
There would be laughter. Hands would be cleaning weapons. Those days passed like this. In that quiet night, the chirping of beetles and the intermittent calls of some birds could be heard around the air base. They were moving towards the barricade of the base so as not to disturb this silence. Each Karumpuli was mentally rehearsing the way he would conduct the attack.
Then the last lines spoken by the national leader came to mind:
“You 21 are warriors. You will achieve a lot. We will show the world that we can do the same. We don’t need to say your names. This world will definitely pronounce your names.” They understood the national leader’s feelings well. They lived with the national leader. The fighters, who had clearly understood the meaning of his every move, looked at the national leader and showed their determination to achieve with a smile on their faces.
At that point, “Shall we carry the national flag?” the young fighter asked.
“You can carry it. There is no objection to that. After all, this is a complete military base. You will show your highest bravery. But the children of the six officers may be there for some time. Please remove them safely before the attack and make sure that nothing happens to them.” The national leader’s attention was clear to them.
In fact, they did not go as eagles of death like the Sinhala forces. Their only breath was an independent country. That is why they went to war. There were three females Karumpulikal in this Karumpulikal team. Among them, the female Karumpuli named Arivamala was very compassionate. During the training days, mice were squeaking inside the uniform cap that she wore on her head. The mouse, frightened by the sight of the mice, was running around. Those present suggested that they let it out. But she refused. She left it where it was. The mouse took it one by one in its mouth and took it to another place. She guarded the last mouse until the mouse left. If such a soft heart can produce the strength to destroy the enemy, then what atrocities has the Sinhalese nation committed against us?
It was 3.00 in the morning. The Karumpulikal were approaching the barrier fence to remove the barrier in a favorable place for them in that quiet area. Some Karumpulikal were checking the pockets in their uniforms. The national leader, who had urgently called the commander for operations on the first night before they left the Vanni area, said, “Are they all left?” He asked.
“No, sir.”
“Then tell them to take some candies and put them in their pockets. If they fight for a long time, they will get tired. Just tell them to take them without forgetting.”
From the moment the fighters left, the national leader had been thinking about those fighters. He was eager for those fighters who were carrying the fire of great ideals to achieve the highest achievement and make history on this land.
Understanding that well, the fighters are approaching the moment of their achievement here. The Anuradhapuram Air Force Base was surrounded by lights like a temple festival. But in that light, Elilinpan and Panchilan are approaching the barrier very quietly. They quickly start cutting the barrier with the wire cutters they have. Ilango was positioned 15 meters away from them and was issuing orders to the team.
Anbukathir and Puradchi were aiming their night vision device-equipped weapons at the guard post near the barrier removal area. Their aim showed the face of the air force soldier at the guard post. But he was looking somewhere as if he did not want to see them.
The barrier was being cut at high speed here. The enemy had set up more barriers for the security of the air base. Numerous barriers such as barbed wire fences and landmines. As they had practiced on the site, they were removing the barrier faster than in practice.
They also confirmed whether there was an electric current in the barrier or not. The barrier was removed in a short time. The teams quickly entered the opened path to give Ilango a signal that the barrier had been removed. Now they were sure of their success. Everyone’s faces beamed with joy. Their dream was about to come true. Ilango contacted the command center. “We are about to land. We will not contact you now. We will contact you only after we reach the airfield center.” Ilango explained the situation and entered the airfield with the team. The air force, which was not aware of what was happening, lay silent. They happily informed the command center that the training aircraft and the Beechcraft had arrived that night.
The plane, which did not know what was going to happen, had its fuel tank full of fuel and was ready to burn. It was only when the team that entered crossed the mud pot that the soldier who was guarding the camp was stunned by the human figures. He started shouting in fear. The enemy soldier shouted away for about two minutes.
With that, the silence that prevailed there came to an end. Subesan’s ‘Lo’ rang out. It exploded with a loud bang in the guardhouse. The Karumpulikal´s heroic adventure began in Anuradhapuram, the stronghold of the Sinhalese.
The teams were quickly entering the enemy positions, destroying them. The Karumpulikal were running towards their targets with modern explosives and weapons on their bodies, giving orders in a fast manner. At the same time, the LTTE air base in the Vanni did not know what fear was, and the pilots, who were always brave enough to do anything, boarded their light aircraft and rushed towards the Anuradhapurm air base.
Veeman took his team and advanced towards the Mi-24 helicopter landing pad. Ilango took the other team and ran towards the main aircraft hangar. Ilango himself led the team as if fighting. Ilango’s voice was ringing very clearly without any nervousness.
For someone who feels like tasting corn fritters. Ilango should only read about what nervousness is in a book. It is not fair for him to know about it from experience. He has defeated the enemy on so many battlefields. His gun has rung in all the famous battles fought in the Vanni. In the battle of the Jayasikuru army in operation “Oyaatha Alaygal – 3”, this young man attacked the enemy forces to rescue the Kattaikattu bridge at Ottasuddan from the Sinhala forces, routed the enemy and captured the Kattaikattu bridge to the amazement of everyone.
Will Ilango, who performed a great feat by daringly attacking armored vehicles that had penetrated the positions of female fighters in the Itta battlefield by breaking through the ranks of the armored personnel carriers, capturing an armored vehicle, attacking the enemy in it, jumping into the armored vehicle with lightning speed, seizing the 50 caliber gun locked in it, and attacking the enemy as it was, be shaken on this battlefield?
The Anuradhapuram military base was shaking every second. The Karumpulikal, who had proudly set up long barriers, earthen dams and guard posts, challenged the enemies who had thought, “Let the LTTE enter, if possible,” to “Stop them if possible.”
How angry they were with these planes. These planes are the ones that help the enemy to tear our children to pieces, to tear our motherland apart, and to bring the stench of death to the gates of our motherland every day. By destroying these planes, it is not only the planes that will be destroyed, but also the war-mongering dream of the Sinhala state and its army, full of aggression.
Within a short time of the fighting, the planes standing on the airfield were exploding with a loud noise and burning. Helpless to defend themselves, they were burning like parrots obeying the Karumpulikal, who were carefully following their orders. Those who were supposed to protect those planes had fallen dead in the storms of our country. The rest fled the airfield.
The fighter squadron approached the Mi-24 helicopter parked on the left side of the airbase’s runway and attacked the helicopter.
One of the Sinhalese army’s powerful helicopters, the Mi-24, exploded and burned. Even when the other Mi-24 helicopter was attacked, it was still damaged. It did not catch fire. The fighter squadron continued to attack it. At this moment, the Sinhalese army could not even approach the airbase. They exploded right before their eyes, throwing out huge flames and burning black smoke.
On the other side, Ilango moved his other group towards the main aircraft shed. Karuventhan attacked the shed with a ‘low’ tail and the planes there started to catch fire. They attacked the hangar, and the planes parked on the runway, and they started to burn. Ilango, who was watching the enemy planes burning inside the Anuradhapuram air base with the explosives they carried, reported the situation to the command post in the Vanni.
“The planes have burned one Mi-24. They have hit and damaged the other, but it is not burning. A K-8 aircraft has hit and burned another aircraft on the runway. They have hit the planes parked in the big ditch. I will keep you in touch and report.” Ilango is reporting the situation to the command post.
The fighting continues. During the initial battle that took place inside the air base, Elilanban, Panchilan, and Subesan, who had broken through the enemy’s barriers, became maveerar of their heroism with the satisfaction of having successfully completed the mission assigned to them.
The flames of the fire of freedom that burned in the hearts of the Karumpulikal were burning the airfield. The Sinhalese forces could not even slightly counter the attack of the Karumpulikal. No matter how hard they tried, the airfield was under the control of the Karumpulikal. The advancing troops were driven back. While the Sinhalese nation was busy destroying our liberation war by showing the illusion of peace, they were waiting to become Karumpulikal at any moment and enter the enemy’s cave, causing great damage to the enemy and strengthening the national leader.
They were those who were with the national leader and bore his burdens. It was with that feeling that they destroyed the enemy’s imaginations and were born as Karumpulikal when the war cloud came here again. How many nights did they wait for that day to destroy their target. The freedom struggle born in their hearts was destroying the Anuradhapuram air base today. Standing in the center of the Anuradhapuram air base, Ilango moved the Karumpulikal in the directions where the planes were parked, keeping the air base under his control. Veeman stood on the other side and led his team. Where does the Sinhala army could fight against these fighters? Veeman worked closely with the national leader.
He oversaw the bodyguard team of the Thesathin Kural Anton Balasingham. Veeman was able to understand the mind of the great man and fulfill his needs. But he never relaxed in security procedures. When the Thesathin Kural Bala came here, he asked for Veeman. He had all the affection and affection for Veeman. It was that Veeman who was shaking the Anuradhapuram air base today. Some of the Karumpulikal, who had strengthened the War of Independence with their heroic deeds, were detonating the explosives they carried with them and dedicating themselves to this nation.
After receiving permission from the guard, the team leader, Ilango, who was wounded in the chest, detonated the sulfur bomb attached to his chest and disappeared into the air. The fire that those soldiers had lit was burning brightly at the Anuradhapuram airfield. Ilango, who was leading the team while standing on the field, was injured. He could not move and bandaged his wound and was giving clear orders. Except for one or two of those Karumpulikal, although they were wounded by the enemy’s bullets, they bandaged them and continued to fight.
The pain of their wounds did not distress them. What distressed their minds was the scars of the atrocities committed by the Sinhalese against our country. That is why they are chanting inside the enemy’s fortress today. The Sinhalese forces advance to retake their base. Ilango contacts the command center.
“They came and get off the truck and start beating us. We will attack back.”
“You guys, get your guns ready. Our planes are here to support you, we will attack now.” Ilango was in contact with the command center. Suddenly, the enemy weapons surrounding the camp rained down bombs in the air. In fact, our planes were not visible in the sky at that time. As soon as they received information that our plane was visible on the enemy radar screen, they started shooting blindly.
But amidst their noise, the capable pilots of the LTTE dropped bombs on their assigned targets with great precision and were returning to base. The Sinhala soldiers and their officers were stunned by the attack launched by the Karumpulikal from the ground and air at the Anuradhapuram air base. The advancing Sinhalese troops fled as soon as they heard the arrival of our air force. Ilango reported this situation to the command post from the center of the airfield.
Senthuran, who was destroying enemy targets, was injured. His injury was so severe that he could no longer function. He had achieved a lot today. He was filled with satisfaction. He ordered Pugalmani to detonate the bomb planted on his body. How can we describe the feeling that arose in the minds of the Karumpulikal at that moment? Fighters who had been together and supported each other for so many years. Today they were going to part. Yet Pugalmani pulled his ‘sachet’ with the pride of having achieved. In a few moments, Senthuran exploded like a nuclear bomb for this nation.
Ilango was giving the data of the planes they had destroyed. He was even clearly seeing the number of one of them and announcing it.
“The fighters completely burned down an Mi-24. It’s still badly damaged. It doesn’t burn even after being hit. A K-8 in the Rakshi Valley on my side has burned down. There’s more burning outside. 3 UAVs and a bell in the big cage are also burning. The planes inside are burning even more. But we can’t see because the fire is burning and there’s smoke. Do you understand?”
“I understand. You are standing in line and reporting the situation.”
Ilango was fighting as if he had been wounded among the burning planes that were circling around. They had just seen the Beach Crouch, which had landed at night, standing in the shelter of the tower on that floor. The pilot immediately attacked it with his grenade launcher, and it started burning. Now the Karumpulikal were doubly happy. The Beach Crouch plane was very valuable. It had already been said that it should be destroyed more than the other planes.
Ilango contacted the command center again. “Just now a ‘Beach Crouch’ was hit and burned. It was just sparkling. I think the sound of explosions and burning will also please you.” Ilango was telling the command post to listen to the sound of the Beach Crave exploding and burning through the radio.
The large airfield of the Sinhalese army was now on its knees before the Karumpulikal. Now only what the Karumpulikal thought was happening there. The Sinhalese were still desperate to save their planes. Thinking that they would at least save the burning planes, they entered the airfield with a fire engine. Then Pugalmani launched a continuous attack on them with her PK weapon, and they also ran away. They continued to attack the Karumpulikal while standing on the border of the air force.
Now the fighter, who was firing with a PK weapon on that airfield, begged Tharmini to pull his rifle so that he could be injured. The Karumpuli fighter gave the last goodbye to the fighter and pulled his rifle. That warrior also dedicated himself to his motherland. Tharmini took his PK weapon and gave it to Mathi. Mathivathanan is now a Karumpuli warrior, but he is a heavy weapons training instructor. He can handle any heavy weapon once he picks it up. The warriors he created are still standing in the fields with heavy weapons.
That Karumpuli warrior, who easily handles any weapon, took the gun of his fallen comrade and was showering bullets. Tharmini was a fierce fighter. Even though she was injured in the eye on that field, she did not stop her movement. She kept fighting after bandaging her injured eye. The fighter was also seriously injured. He was paralyzed below the waist. Even though he could not move, that warrior, who had great determination, was continuously giving blows with his PK weapon.
The Anuradhapuram air base was lit by a huge fire. The deafening sound of gunfire and shelling. Standing in the middle of all this were the Karumpulikal. They continued to fight. The Sinhala Air Force that surrounded the base could do nothing, so they called in special forces from Mannar and Vavuniya to Anuradhapuram. Now the fighting at the base intensified. The remaining Karumpulikal fought fiercely.
Ilango was wounded twice again. Despite the pain of the wound, he calmly contacted the command center.
“I have been wounded in both places again. I have done the duty given to me properly. Tell our brother. I have achieved with my team. You all take good care of our brother. Our brother is important to us. Tell my friends that I have done my duty properly. Now you are the ones who want to do a lot for our brother…”
With these words, Ilango’s voice is drowned out. After that, his voice could not be heard. A little while ago, Ilango had told the story of the hero who exploded in the Anuradhapuram field and made history. Ilango had achieved a lot with that team. He had achieved more than the national leader thought. What a heavy burden that hero carries in his mind to this day. How many sacrifices he has seen on the battlefields. The records of it are like this in his diary…
“I have seen my dear Major Mano, who, in the midst of a fierce battle, was unable to speak, with his head injured and his head resting on my lap, hugging me and kissing me, and holding my hand tightly, and then dying in my lap.”
‘While moving through the heart-wrenching water for the counterinsurgency, a female fighter, wounded in the chest in the enemy’s barrage of bullets, tried to bite the bottle, snatched the bottle and, after wading through the water for a kilometer, reached the shore, and died on my shoulder.’
These are his feelings as recorded in his notebook. Carrying these feelings, he fought today. He alone, 21 Karumpulikal, had also borne such feelings and had become Karumpulikal today. How can the Sinhala mercenaries withstand the idealistic thirst, the unwavering determination and the bravery of those noble warriors? Where do they have the courage to face those noble warriors?
While the enemies stood in awe and amazement, every remaining Karumpuli warrior fought fiercely. The battle that began at 3.20 am continued until 9.00 am, but the Sinhala army was not able to enter. Finally, they were able to enter their air base only after bringing armored vehicles and raining heavy bombs. By then, the Karumpuli warriors had completed the mission given to them to the fullest and had become maveerar.
As a manifestation of their helplessness, the Sinhala nation vented its anger on the seeds of the Karumpuli warriors. Shame on the Sinhala armies. It is not fair for the descendants of the lion to understand civilization. But the Karumpulikal have won. As the national leader said, their supreme dedication to victory is echoing throughout the world. They have attacked the Sinhalese, who have been besieging the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa as a modern thug and have come forward as a modern all-rounder and have suppressed and broken the thug’s attack.
Those fighters did not set fire to the Anuradhapura Air Force Base alone. They have ignited the great fire of freedom in the hearts of hundreds of fighters. They will surely come down on the Sinhalese in the coming battles.
Thanks: Liberation Tigers Magazine October-November 2007
(Translation by Tamilpriya)
“நடவடிக்கை எல்லாளன்”: இதயத்தில் மூட்டிய நெருப்பின் சமர்.
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