Eastern Province (NA): Timeline (Terrorist Activities) -2010

Sri Lanka Army’s de-mining Field Engineer troops till January 4, since the year 2002, cleared a total land extent of 450.41 square kilometres (450,402,744 square metres) of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) buried explosive devices, anti-personnel and anti-tank mines and Un-Exploded Ordnance (UXOs) from northern and eastern Districts of Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar, Vavuniya, Batticaloa and Trincomalee, reported Sri Lanka Army. In addition, Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are separately engaged in de-mining work in the same Districts. The extent of area de-mined by those NGO de-miners has not been included in the geographical extent figure as given above. Troops clearing 4,843,040 square metres area in the Jaffna District unearthed 3,351 Anti-Personnel Mines (APMs), 128 UXOs and two anti-tank mines since the beginning of the year 2002. In Mannar, the troops collected 9,099 APMs, 3,264 UXOs and 13 anti-tank mines from an area of 69,596,113 square metres. Troops in Mullaitivu clearing a 162,840 square metres collected 216 APMs and 51 UXOs during their de-mining work. Similarly, de-mining work in the Kilinochchi District unearthed 17 APMs and 21 UXOs while clearing an area of 6,167,788 square metres. A total of 1,059 APMs and five UXOs were among the recoveries made in the Vavuniya District. Engineer troops covered 403,290 square metres area in extent during their work in Vavuniya. In the eastern Batticaloa District, troops covering an area of 269,160,424 square metre unearthed 13,352 UXOs during 2002-2009, the biggest quantity of LTTE UXOs so far recovered from one District by Army Engineers. Troops collected 1,617 APMs and 173 UXOs from areas in the Trincomalee District during the seven-year period (2002-2009) under reference. The area thus de-mined in Trincomalee stands at 100,069,249 square metres. At present, troops are continuing their de-mining work in Vedithalattivu (Mannar), Mankulam (Kilinochchi) and Thunukkai-Amathipuram (Mullaitivu) areas. Initial surveys have confirmed that about 600 square kilometres area still remains to be cleared of mines and UXOs. Read less...

Trincomalee Police recovered two T-56 weapons, seven T-56 magazines, 391 rounds of T-56 ammunition, one radio set, one night vision device, two plastic boxes with chargers and one pouch from the Iluppukulam and Muttur areas on January 11, according to a Sri Lanka Army report. Read less...

On January 12, the troops recovered six 60-mm mortar bombs, three anti-personnel mines, six hundred 60-mm mortar chargers, five hand grenades, 752 rounds of T-56 ammunition, 72 rounds of Multi Purpose Machine Gun (MPMG) ammunition, 60 rounds of 5.56 ammunition and seven shotgun cartridges from the Muttur area of Trincomalee District, reported Sri Lanka Army. Read less...

Police in Trincomalee District during a search operation recovered one T-56 weapon with a magazine and 25 rounds of T-56 ammunition from Serunuwara area on January 21, according to Sri Lanka Army report. Read less...

Troops in the East engaged in a search and clear operation recovered two swords and one Hero Honda motor bike from Addalachchenei area on the same day. Read less...

On information received by Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF), troops in the Moraweva area of Wanni recovered one T-56 weapon, 287 rounds of T-56 ammunition, 16 hand grenades, eight electronic detonators, one I-com set, five anti-personnel mines, one claymore mine stand, one remote control device, one Light Machine Gun ammunition drum and 2-metres length wire on January 28, according to a Sri Lanka Army report. Read less...