ASIA, Colombo, Sri Lanka—Two naval clashes and an explosion killed dozens of guerrillas and three sailors yesterday, one day after the military said a major offensive against the Tamil Tigers had ended successfully.
Navy gunboats patrolling near Point Pedro, the northern tip of the rebel controlled Jaffna Peninsula, destroyed four guerrilla vessels, killing 21 rebels, said a naval officer who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Ina separate attack, several small rebel boats tried to enter a port about 190 miles north of Colombo when warships opened fire, sinking three of them, the Defense Ministry said. Rebel radio said 10 guerrillas died in the clash.
One of the rebels slipped into the water and planted two mines ‘on the hull of a 2,600 ton command ship, said navy Commodore Terrence Sundaram. The explosion killed at least three sailors and injured at least 18 others, severely damaging the ship.
Minority Tamils have been battling since 1983 for a homeland in northern and eastern Sri Lanka. They accuse the Sinhalese: majority, which controls the government and military, of discrimination.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 21, 1995
