COLOMBO, Nov. 20, Reuter: Tamil Tiger guerrillas launched a series of attacks in Sri Lanka as they freed 18 Indian soldiers held captive for more than a month in the north, military sources said on Friday.

At least four Indian. Soldiers were killed and 11 wounded when members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam separatist group opened fire on an Indian supply convoy in the north on Thursday afternoon, the sources said.

They also reported attacks against Sri Lankan police positions and clashes with Indian troops in the eastern districts of Batticaloa, Ampara and Trincomalee.

The Island newspaper said at least four people were hacked to death in an attack on a Sinhalese area in Ampara.

Tiger guerrillas hit Batticaloa police station and a refugee camp with rifles, machineguns and mortars on Thursday night, but there were no details of casualties. Heavy rains prevented follow-up action by Indian forces.

Tiger guerrillas freed 18 Indian soldiers held captive for more than a month in Jaffna peninsula on Thursday, Indian officials said. ‘The soldiers, captured during the assault on Jaffna in October by Indian forces, were released to Indian army officials in two batches of nine.

Military sources said at almost the same time, guerrillas ambushed/an Indian supply convoy at Mulliyawalai, 100 km (60 miles) southeast of Jaffna, killing four Indian troops and wounding 11.

The release had been negotiated but it was not clear if the Tigers had won any concessions. Indian Embassy sources said the release was unconditional.

At least 240 Indian sources have been killed since India Launched its assault against the Tigers in north and eastern Sri Lanka in early October as part of pact with Sri Lanka to end four years of ethnic bloodshed in the Island.

Indian forces mounted a major operation around Pottuviland Akkaraipattu. On the east coast to flush out guerrillas infiltrating southwards, capturing more than 40, military sources told Sri Lankan Reporters.

President Junius Jayewardene went on television on Thursday night to reassure the majority Sine

Hales community that plans for Tamil autonomy would not the country.

He said the army, ports and airports would still be under central control, as well as major police operations.

He said the limited autonomy plan would give provinces control, over language, culture and development, and offered the country the chance of setting aside the ethnic problem.

It would give Sinhalese hardliners who have resorted to violence in the South a chance to take part in regional level government if they joined the political process.

Jayewardene agreed the autonomy plan with Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in July to end four years of bloodshed which has cost 7,000 lives and two billion dollars in damage to property.

More than 20,000 Indian troops are involved in the battle against. The Tigers in the north and east who are fighting for a separate state, they have rejected the autonomy plane.

Article extracted from this publication >>  November 27, 1987