Operation “Suryakathir” and The LTTE who gave up Jaffna for the people!
Operation “Suryakathir” and The LTTE who gave up Jaffna for the people!
The second phase of the Eelam War began in 1990 following the breakdown of talks with the then Sinhalese President Premadasa. The Sinhalese government, which had strengthened its military machine at that time, had launched a massive military operation from Palaly.
The LTTE, which had been accustomed to launching guerrilla-style attacks with a small number of freedom fighters until then, launched a counterattack with fighters who had first developed into a conventional army. It must be said that it was a time of wisdom.
Although the war spirit was high among the fighters. They had to abandon some places due to their lack of knowledge of conventional fighting and insufficient stockpiles of weapons (there was a severe shortage of AK47 ammunition due to the multi-pronged attack at that time). At that time, the enemy had advanced as far as Maviddapuram.
After that, the enemy was prevented from advancing through the experiences gained in the traditional war. At the same time, the number of new freedom fighters also increased, and the LTTE organization had grown greatly. Many camps were destroyed under the leadership of Brigadier Balraj.
With his traditional experience, the LTTE organization was formed under his leadership with the aim of building a large army, the first traditional brigade, Charles Anthony Special Force. That brigade was crushed by the Sinhalese army through continuous attacks. After that, many brigades were formed.
It was during this period in 1994, Oppilamani, who was in the military intelligence of the LTTE, fled and surrendered to the army fearing disciplinary action. (I have clearly mentioned Oppilamani in my previous post “The Military Development of the Tamils and the Betrayals Faced by the Leader”) Following his surrender, the strength, weakness and weaponry of the LTTE at that time were known and the enemy, under his advice, advanced to Sandilippay through a military operation called “Munneri Pachal” and captured half of Valikamath.
But the LTTE launched an attack on the leadership of Pottu Amman. Killing several hundred soldiers and driving the enemy back to their old positions. After that, the enemy, who had once again reorganized his military machine through a large-scale military equipment purchase, opened a major front on 17th of October 1995 through the Vasavilan, Achuveli and Puttoor areas.
The enemy launched a major offensive named “Operation Suryakathir”. The LTTE forces also took to the field to counter it. A major war broke out. At that time, the LTTE did not have any artillery. Only a few 120mm mortars captured in Poonagari were in good condition. But the necessary ammunition was also not in stock.
But they were in loads with the enemy. The Jaffna peninsula was shaken by the random artillery, 120mm mortars and air strikes. The common people suffered the most in this. During this bombing, the LTTE also fought a fierce battle and killed the enemy. The enemy advanced inch by inch that day.
The enemy had captured Valikamam that day after sacrificing several thousand soldiers. When the LTTE retreated, the people also migrated towards Thenmaradchi through the only road, the Navatkuli Bridge. Five lakh people left in one day, proving to the world that the people and the LTTE are not different and recorded that history.
As soon as the people left, the LTTE immediately created a huge gap from the Thondaimanaru River, leaving Vataravattha and Navatkuli valleys as a witchcraft area, and up to Ariyalay, preventing the army from advancing. At that time, the LTTE´s weapons stockpile had also decreased significantly.
At that time, 120mm motors and their shells were brought to our area with the aim of increasing our motor strength and training for that was going on one side. On the other side, a hasty attack plan was being drawn up with the aim of recapturing Valikamam and training was being given in areas like Nagerkoyil, Palay, Ariyalay.
When the day for the attack was set and preparations were made, in the beginning of the fourth month of 1996, the enemy advanced night after night through a water area between Vataravattha and Navatkuli, surrounded the Kaithadi area and captured the people. Not only that, but he was also using the people as a shield and advancing little by little.
The national leader ordered the freedom fighters to withdraw their troops for the sole reason that even if the LTTE were able to attack the enemy, our people would be killed. If they had attacked that day, a few hundred people would have been killed. But the Jaffna peninsula would have been in our hands.
LTTE lost Jaffna because they valued the lives of the people very much. The fighters who were in the struggle at that time knew this fact. The national leader had expelled the commander of that area who had allowed the enemy to advance from the LTTE as punishment. (For some reason, I did not mention his name.)
Karuna goes around saying that he had kept the national leader who had been caught by the people as a shield. In this way, when the enemy entered the people’s area, the national leader had given the responsibility of moving the LTTE formation towards the Vanni to Pottamman without letting the enemy capture it.
Accordingly, the withdrawal of the LTTE was carried out in stages. The fighters engaged in a barrage of fire without causing any loss of life to the people. They did not allow the enemy to seize any material, including weapons. The expression of that anger was the demolition of the Mullai camp three months later.
However, the LTTE did not tell the story that the LTTE abandoned Jaffna that day for the sake of a few hundred people. The enemy also knows this very well!
(Correction by Tamilpriya)
