MULLAITTIVU: TASK FORCE-VIII troops, during their fresh search and clear operations in PUTHUKUDDIYIRUPPU area on Monday (20) uncovered a large stock of jewelry left hidden by the LTTE terrorists during their dictatorial administration in Wanni areas.
LTTE was in the practice of exploiting wealth of innocent civilians in those areas in various ways, by way of ransom, “tax’ and transactions through the so called “Eelam Banks”.
The latest recovery of gold jewelry to the weight of 37.5 kg confirmed speculation that terrorists had collected jewelry of innocent civilians who could have been in dire need of money due to maladministration of the LTTE before they were expelled from their fortresses by the Security Forces.
Jewelry had been placed in tin containers and buried under the soil.
Arrangements would be taken to ascertain the ownership of the items and hand over back to relevant persons.
Meanwhile, troops in KILINOCHCHI, THUNUKKAI and PARANTHAN areas recovered two radio sets, nine T-56 weapons, one T-81 weapon, eight Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG), two claymore mines, one booby trap fixed to a 130 mm artillery round, two M-16 weapons, one T-56 weapon, one 9 mm pistol, one 9mm pistol magazine, eleven T-56 magazines, three T-56 magazines, one hundred and fifty hand grenades, three Anti Personal (AP) mines, two 12.7mm ammunition, one booby trap fixed to an RPG round, one I - Com set, one belt order, two oil cans (120 ltrs), eight hundred and ninety Multi Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) ammunition, eleven thousand three hundred and eleven T-56 ammunition, one hundred and thirty three 60mm mortar bombs, one hundred and twenty seven 81mm mortar bombs, seventy 82mm mortar bombs, ten 60mm mortar fuses and ten 60mm mortar cartridges.
The same day, one micro pistol, with one magazine and four 9mm pistol ammunition were recovered by the troops in AVASIKULAM.
In the meantime, search and clear operations conducted in KOVILGAMA area in TRINCOMALEE and THONITOTTAMADU in BATTICALOA found two hand grenades, photo copy of ninety area maps, sixty two anti personnel mines with sixty two fuses, twenty one compact disks and one digital tape on Monday (20).
 |
 |
 |
 |
