Battle of Mullaitivu (1996)

Coordinates: 09°15′N 80°49′E / 9.250°N 80.817°E / 9.250; 80.817
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Battle of Mullaitivu
முல்லைத்தீவுச் சமர்
මුලතිව් සටන
Part of Eelam War III and the Sri Lankan Civil War
Date18–25 July 1996
Location
Mullaitivu, Sri Lanka
09°15′N 80°49′E / 9.250°N 80.817°E / 9.250; 80.817
Result LTTE victory
(see Aftermath section)
Belligerents
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam  Sri Lanka
Commanders and leaders
V. Prabhakaran
Colonel Balraj[1][2]
Colonel Soosai[3][4]
 Anuruddha Ratwatte
Rohan Daluwatte
A. F. Lafir †
T. R. A. Aliba (MIA)
Raj Vijayasiri (WIA)
Units involved
Charles Anthony Brigade[5],
Jeyanthan Brigade[6]		 Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment,
Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment,
Special Forces Regiment,
Commando Regiment,
Sri Lanka Light Infantry,
Gemunu Watch
Strength
~2,000 1,407 (Mullaitivu garrison)[7]~1000 (Relief force)[8]
Casualties and losses
315 dead, including 11 Sea Black Tigers (LTTE claimed)[9] 1,498 dead[10][9][11]
Mullaitivu Military Base is located in Northern Province
Mullaitivu Military Base
Mullaitivu Military Base
class=notpageimage|
Location of base in Northern Province, Sri Lanka

The Battle of Mullaitivu (

Sri Lankan military during the Sri Lankan Civil War for control of the military base in Mullaitivu in north-eastern Sri Lanka
.

The base which contained an understrength infantry brigade was overrun by the LTTE on 18 July 1996, in the days that followed, a combined operation undertaken by all three armed forces failed to rescue the brigade as it had been completely destroyed by the time the relief force reached what was left of the installations of the 25 "Mullaitivu" Brigade, the Sri Lankan military abandoned the town of Mullaitivu, and control of much of Mullaitivu District, to the LTTE on 25 July 1996. Around 1,500 Sri Lankan troops were killed or unaccounted for (MIA) and large amounts of military equipment captured by the LTTE. 315 LTTE cadres were also killed.

Background

See also: Operation Riviresa

After

Jaffna peninsula in late 1995 and early 1996 the LTTE retreated to the Vanni on the mainland, saving most of their weapons and establishing their headquarters in the town of Kilinochchi.[12]

The Mullaitivu military base

With the escalation of the

Nanthi Kadal lagoon to west and dense vegetation to the north and south.[14]

The base was isolated with the nearest base being at

Manal Aru and Weli Oya, some 35 km to the south.[16][17] There was no overland supply route to the base and all supplies had to be brought in by sea and air, something that the navy and air force struggled with.[18] Brigadier Kumban Bohran, Brigade Commander, 25 "Mullaitivu" Brigade had strengthened the Mullaitivu base in 1995 and a contingency plan was drawn up in the event of an overnight attack.[19] Under the plan reinforcements would arrive by sea and air the following morning.[19] Radars and two generators, one acting as a back-up, were installed.[19]

The base was responsible for monitoring the

Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment (9SLSR) commanded by Major W. M. S. Gunarathna. Stationed at the base was a detachments of the 4th Field Regiment, Sri Lanka Artillery armed with two 122 mm Type 54 howitzers, as well as other support units.[19] The base's strength was 1,407 just prior to the battle (1,268 army; 9 navy; 49 police; 81 civilians).[19]

Prelude

Traditionally July had been a month of importance to the LTTE, who commemorate the

suicide bomber detonated a bomb at Stanley Road, Jaffna targeting Nimal Siripala de Silva, Minister of Housing, Construction and Public Utilities at building opening, killing Brigadier Ananda Hamangoda, Brigade commander, 512 "Jaffna" Brigade and 22 others.[19]

LTTE preparations

The LTTE believed that the Sri Lankan military were planning to attack Kilinochchi in mid July 1996.

Pooneryn.[19] In late June 1996 they started moving coffins within sight of military observation posts in order to raise suspicions in the military.[19]

The LTTE's preparations took many weeks to complete, with cadres from

V. Prabhakaran had been personally involved in the preparations for the attack which was coded named Operation Unceasing Waves.[23] Colonel Balraj was responsible for co-ordinating the LTTE operation.[24]

In May 1996 the military monitored a large build up of LTTE forces near the base which was placed on a high alert.[25] The LTTE lost 5 recon soldiers during their reconnaissance mission on the base. In addition to these, they also lost 8 more recon soldiers while they were leading the Tamil Tigers' attack teams into the base complex.

Battle

Base over-run

At around 1:30 am on 18 July 1996 approximately 2,000

communication tower at the base was destroyed, severing radio communications between the base and the Army Headquarters
. By dawn the LTTE began removing weapons and equipment it had captured by this point.

The LTTE's attack was paused just short of the heart of the base, the operational headquarters of the 6VIR.[14][23] Fearing death if captured, soldiers from the 6VIR, hoping that they could hold on until a relief force arrived.[14] The LTTE commanders were given orders to regroup and wait for nightfall before attacking the heart of the base.[14][23]

Operation Thrivida Pahara

News of the attack soon reached Colombo and within hours of the start of the attack the three service commanders - Lieutenant General

Mohan Samarasekera (navy) and Air Marshall Oliver Ranasinghe (air force) - were flown to the Elephant Pass military base to oversee the rescue effort.[19] The trio, together with other senior military officers, put into motion Operation Thrivida Pahara (Operation Three Strikes) which began before dawn on 18 July 1996.[19]

Troops based in

beach-head.[19]

Meanwhile, the navy's eastern command and the air force's eastern zonal command, both based in

Kfir interceptor jets began strafing LTTE in and around the base.[19]

275

Brigade commander, 25 Brigade and base commander Colonel Lawrence Fernando, who had been accompanying Lafir and the commandos, was left wounded and unconscious following an attack by Kfir jets.[20]

The LTTE, who were now fighting on two fronts, concentrated their efforts on the base which was entirely captured by the evening of 18 July 1996, overrunning the last pockets of resistance.[14]

The 2nd battalion of the Special Forces Regiment, led by Colonel Raj Vijayasiri, who had been carrying out

Thoppigala, were dispatched on the evening of 18 July 1996, via Punanai and Trincomalee, to support the 1st battalion.[19][27] The 2nd battalion managed to make radio contact with a group of isolated troops inside the base.[19] Lafir was fatally wounded on the morning of 19 July 1996 when shrapnel from mortar fire pierced his brain - he died later that morning.[17] 36[c] other commandos were killed whilst 60 more were wounded.[19]

As 18 July 1996 drew to a close the three service commanders re-located to Trincomalee.

SLAF China Bay near Trincomalee.[19]

After much delay, the infantry reinforcements from Jaffna peninsula reached the

high seas off Mullaitivu at dawn on 19 July 1996 but it was afternoon when they began moving towards the coast, escorted by navy patrol boats.[19] At around 4.30pm the SLNS Ranaviru, one of the escort vessels, was surrounded by six Sea Tigers boats.[19][26] The Ranaviru managed to destroy two Sea Tigers boats before a third rammed into the Ranaviru, causing it to explode and killing 36 sailors on board.[16][26] Only seven bodies could be recovered from the seas in the ensuing gun battle.[19] The attempts to land troops by sea were aborted.[19]

MI-17 helicopters trying to drop troops near Alampil encountered heavy resistance from the LTTE so a decision was made to drops troops at another location.[19] On 20 July 1996 one of the MI-17 helicopters sustained damage to its fuel pipeline following fire from LTTE but managed to safely return to a neighbouring base.[19]

The two Special Forces Regiment battalions eventually linked up and established a beach-head 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) south of Mullaitivu.[19][20] The navy landed troops belonging to the 2nd battalion of the Commando Regiment, 6th battalion of the Sri Lanka Light Infantry and 7th battalion of the Gemunu Watch at the beach-head on 21 July 1996.[27][19] The troops came under heavy mortar fire from the LTTE and it wasn't until 23 July 1996 that they started advancing, under heavy LTTE fire, towards the base.[19] When they reached the southern perimeter of the base they discovered that all the buildings inside the base had been razed to the ground.[19] There was unbearable stench of decayed and dismembered bodies and many of the troops felt physically sick.[19] There was a fear that the LTTE had mined and booby trapped the base.[20] The troops also faced resistance from LTTE positions in the northern and western ends of the base.[20]

Attack in Colombo

Soon after the attack, the Ministry of Defence increased security bringing the alert level to maximum in the capital Colombo and around the island due to the LTTE declaring the week as Black July to commemorate the Black July riots.[28] On 24 July, the LTTE placed suitcase bombs in four carriages in a commuter train near Dehiwala killing 64 civilians and wounding 400 others.[29]

Withdrawal

The government wanted to hold onto the base and rebuild it but this was opposed by senior military commanders who didn't want to divert resources to maintain and defend an isolated outpost which was vulnerable to another LTTE attack.[12] They wanted to abandon the base to prevent further loss and so orders were given to abandon the rescue operation and withdraw the troops, which took place on 24 and 25 July 1996.[12][19][20] The withdrawal also faced problems and in one instance a large group of soldiers were left stranded on the beach and were all killed by the LTTE.[19]

Over the next few weeks two officers and 62 soldiers returned to safety.[19] Some had hidden up coconut trees or shallow wells before escaping.[19][30] Some had trekked through jungles to reach the safety of military bases at Kokkutuduwai, Weli Oya and Elephant Pass.[19] One soldier had managed to swim, under LTTE fire, to a naval patrol boat only for his identity to be scrutinised heavily before being allowed on board.[19]

Censorship and losses

News of the battle was widely reported around the world but the Sri Lankan public were kept largely in the dark as a result of

ICRC had informed the army that it were to hand over 101 bodies, yet had transport problems and expect to receive several hundred.[28] The government claimed that 380 LTTE carders had been killed, of which 181 were killed during the initial assault including Mullaitivu military leader Kumaran, Women's Wing leader Meena Akka, Nalayan Master, a Sea Tiger leader, Madhuvanan, Trincomalee group leader and Milton, a Mullaitivu group leader.[31]

The LTTE however continued to publicise the battle through its international secretariat in London.[12] On 22 July 1996 they issued statement claiming that they had killed 1,208 soldiers and officers and that 241 of their own cadres had also been killed.[32]

Censorship was lifted on 8 October 1996 when Deputy Defence Minister

Red Cross to government officials in Kilinochchi and Vavuniya were not "identifiable as our soldiers".[19] According to Ratwatte 71 troops had been killed during Thrivida Pahara, the rescue operation.[19]

Around 1,400 Sri Lankan service personal and policemen were killed.[33][34] The army lost 44 officers and 1125 other ranks whilst the navy lost a small contingent.[12][35] Official records of the Ministry of Defence indicate 1,173 were killed,[36] 80 civilians and 50 police officers stationed at the base were also killed.[12] Pro-LTTE media claimed that the LTTE lost around 332 cadres in total.[14][37]

The Sri Lanka Army saw the complete loss of its 25 Brigade with its two regular infantry battalions, support units and equipment. The 6th battalion, Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment lost 19 officers and 459 other ranks including its commanding officer Major T.R.A. Aliba, who was listed missing in action and posthumously promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel. The battalion had to be reestablished at Weli Oya on 10 August 1996 under Captain C.T.S. Molligoda with 20 survivors and 129 who had been away at the time of the battle on leave or other duties. The 9th battalion, Sinha Regiment lost 21 officers and 524 other ranks including its second in command, Major W.C.H. Dabarera, who was listed missing in action and posthumously promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel. It was reestablished on 20 August 1996 in Kegalle with survivors and personal who were not present during the battle.[38][39]

Execution of prisoners

Asia Week reported that some of the soldiers who survived had told the board of inquiry that they had watched LTTE cadres walking through the camp following the battle and summarily execute wounded captives.[40] The US State Department stated that the LTTE killed over 1,500 government troops, including those who tried to surrender.[41]

In 2019, 23 years of the battle, relatives of the missing service personal claimed that 600 to 700 soldiers had surrendered and had never been heard of again, including Major Janaka Kasthuriarachchi, the

Brigade Major of 25 Brigade.[42] In one case, an officer who managed to swim to a navy vessel claimed that he witnessed the execution of soldiers who surrender at the beach by the LTTE.[14]

Captured weapons by LTTE

The LTTE removed the contents base

RPG 7 rocket launchers, four 12.7 heavy machine guns, fifteen multi-purpose machine guns, 108 general-purpose machine guns, 1654 Type 56 assault rifles, 238 Type 81 assault rifles, four FNC sniper weapons, five Pakistani-manufactured A 3 rifles, twenty-three 40 mm grenade launchers and two flame throwers.[43][12][11] Besides the weaponry, the LTTE also captured communication equipment, naval boats and armoured vehicles such as 2 Buffels and One Unicorn APC.[44] The value of the military equipment removed by the LTTE was put in excess of US$20 million, with Dr Jayawardena telling parliament that the equipment lost was worth over Rs 2,73 billion.[11] The haul was considered too much for the LTTE's small number of cadres to handle as it was enough to equip an infantry brigade.[44]

Aftermath

A LTTE Sea Tiger fast attack boat off Mullaitivu in May 2004.

Lack of preparation for a massive attack with multiple rings of trenchers and communication trenchers, aggressive reconnaissance patrolling along the defense perimeter and beyond by the Mullaitivu garrison due to man power shortages faced by the Sri Lanka Army in general at this time and its lack of training in night fighting have been attributed to the loss of the Mullaitivu base.[14]

The Battle of Mullaitivu was a significant milestone in the civil war, it was the worst military defeat suffered by the Sri Lankan military to that point in its history, in terms of loss of life, equipment and land since it effectively handed over control of the Mullaitivu District by its decision not to reestablish its base in the Mullaitivu town. For the LTTE the battle was a great victory as it gained control over Mullaitivu which became an important military and naval base on the east coast, until the last days of the civil war, when it was re-captured by Sri Lankan military in January 2009.[45][46][47][48] The battle allowed it to demonstrate that its military capability following its withdrawal from the Jaffna peninsula the year before and claimed by the Sri Lankan government that its military capability had been reduced after its defeats that year.[14]

On 26 July the army launched

Operation Unceasing Waves III in which it captured the strategic Elephant Pass routing the infantry division that defended it and was on the verge of recapturing the Jaffna peninsula entrapping over 35,000 of the Sri Lankan military, until a stalemate was reached along the Muhamalai and Nagarkovil lines.[14]

Inquiry

Colonel A. F. Lafir was awarded the Parama Weera Vibhushanaya, posthumously.

Daluwatte appointed a three-member court of inquiry (Major General Patrick Fernando, chair; Major General E. H. Samaratunga; and Brigadier Gamini Hettiarachchi) to inquire into how and why the defences at Mullaitivu failed and to estimate the loss of equipment.[19] The court sat in Colombo and Anuradhapura and heard evidence from those involved including most of those who managed to escape from the base.[19] The inquiry's findings were kept secret.[54] A naval court of inquiry headed by Rear Admiral H. C. A. C. Thisera also took place.[19]

Lafir was posthumously awarded the Parama Weera Vibhushanaya, the highest decoration awarded by the Sri Lankan military.[55][56]

In 1998 military intelligence revealed that Captain Suresh Raj, officer commanding the artillery detachment based at Mullaitivu, had assisted the LTTE overrun the base and thereafter training LTTE carders to fire artillery.[57][58]

Recapture

The army recaptured the town of Mullaitivu in January 2009 following the Battle of Mullaitivu (2009).

Memorial

The army unveiled a war memorial on 18 July 2010 for 1,163 troops killed during what it called the "Mullaitivu debacle".[59] The monument is located inside the Security Forces Headquarters – Mullaitivu complex.[35]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Another source states that the 215 Brigade was based at Mullaitivu.[19]
  2. ^ Another source states that 1,000 LTTE cadres attacked the military base.[19]
  3. ^ Another source states that two officers and 32 soldiers from the 1st battalion Special Forces Regiment were killed.[27]

References

  1. ^ "LTTE top ranker dies". BBC Sinhala. London, U.K. 20 May 2008. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  2. ^ Kumaaran, Satheesan (25 May 2008). "Death of Balraj and its implications". The Sunday Times. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  3. Center for International Security and Cooperation. Stanford, U.S.A.: Stanford University
    . Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  4. ^ "Sri Lanka: the bloody end of battle". The Guardian. London, U.K. 17 May 2009. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  5. ^ "TamilNet".
  6. ^ "TamilNet".
  7. ^ "The Sunday Times Situation Report".
  8. ^ "Features | Online edition of Daily News - Lakehouse Newspapers".
  9. ^ a b "TamilNet".
  10. ^ sundaytimes.lk/961013/sitrep.html
  11. ^
    ISSN 0266-4488
    . Retrieved 3 September 2011.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i Ferdinando, Shamindra (5 October 2012). "War on terror revisited: LTTE change Vanni landscape". The Island. Colombo. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  13. ^ Jayasuriya, Ranga (12 December 2004). "Rebuilding Mullaitivu". Sunday Observer. Colombo. Archived from the original on 17 December 2004. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  14. ^
    ISBN 978-0-8122-4452-6
    .
  15. ^ Ferdinando, Shamindra (5 December 2012). "59 Div suffers stunning setback after M'tivu victory". The Island. Colombo. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  16. ^ a b c d e "The Assault on Mullaitivu Base". The Sunday Times. Colombo. 21 July 1996. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  17. ^ a b c d e Nanayakkara, Saman (19 July 2010). "Tribute to a gallant war hero". Daily News. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  18. ^ Ferdinando, Shamindra (19 October 2016). "Mullaitivu debacle". The Island. Colombo. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  19. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba Athas, Iqbal (13 October 1996). "Censorship out: then events unfurled". The Sunday Times. Colombo. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Athas, Iqbal (28 July 1996). "Fear of bomb threats has disrupted public lifestyle". The Sunday Times. Colombo. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  21. ^ "TamilNet".
  22. ^ "TamilNet".
  23. ^ a b c d e f "Operation Unceasing Waves: The Mullaitivu Battle". Viduthalai Puligal/Tamil Nation. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  24. ^ Jeyaraj, D. B. S. (25 May 2008). "Brigadier Balraj led from the front". The Nation. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  25. ^ "Jaffna: signs of sunrise". The Sunday Times. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 26 May 1996. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  26. ^ a b c "Hundreds killed as battle of Mullaitivu continues". The Sunday Times. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 21 July 1996. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  27. ^ a b c d Yatawara, Dhakeshi (15 August 2010). "True sons of Mother Lanka". Sunday Observer. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  28. ^ a b "Hundreds killed as battle of Mullaitivu continues". Sunday Times. 21 July 1996. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  29. ^ "Tamil Arrested in Sri Lanka Train Bombing". The New York Times. 4 September 1996.
  30. ISSN 0266-4488
    . Retrieved 3 September 2011.
  31. ^ "Hundreds killed as battle of Mullaitivu continues". Sunday Times. 21 July 1996. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  32. ISSN 0266-4488
    . Retrieved 3 September 2011.
  33. ISBN 0-415-22905-7
    .
  34. ISBN 1-84557-530-X
    .
  35. ^ a b "Memories of War Heroes in 'Battle of Mullaittivu' Refreshed & Saluted in Ceremonies". army.lk. Sri Lanka Army. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  36. ^ Humanitarian Operation Factual Analysis July 2006 – May 2009 (PDF). Ministry Of Defence Democratic Socialist Republic Of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  37. ^ "Body count: an illusive index of 'progress'". tamilnet.com. Tamilnet. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  38. ^ "6th Vijayabahu Infantry regiment". army.lk. Sri Lanka Army. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  39. ^ "9th Battalion of the Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment". army.lk. Sri Lanka Army. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  40. Asia Week
    . November 1996. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  41. ^ "U.S. Department of State Sri Lanka Country Report on Human Rights Practices for 1996". state.gov. US State Department. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  42. ^ Borham, Maneshka. "Soldiers missing in action: Anguished families still knocking on doors". Sunday Observer. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  43. ^ Athas, Iqbal (11 August 1996). "Situation Report: Blunder, bluff". Sunday Times.
  44. ^
    ISSN 0266-4488
    . Retrieved 3 September 2011.
  45. ^ Muralidhar Reddy, B. (3 January 2009). "Kilinochchi captured in devastating blow to LTTE". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  46. ^ Francis, Krishan (2 January 2009). "Sri Lankan Troops Capture Rebels' Capital". CBS News. New York, U.S.A. Associated Press. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  47. ^ "'Civilians die' in S Lanka battle". BBC News. London, U.K. 26 January 2009. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  48. ^ "Sri Lanka military 'seizes last town held by Tamil Tigers'". The Daily Telegraph. London, U.K. 25 January 2009. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  49. ISBN 9351184285
    .
  50. ISSN 0266-4488
    . Retrieved 3 September 2011.
  51. ISSN 0266-4488
    . Retrieved 3 September 2011.
  52. ^ "900 dead in battle for key town". BBC News. London, U.K. 30 September 1998. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  53. ^ "Kilinochchi base captured - LTTE". TamilNet. 28 September 2018. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  54. ^ Athas, Iqbal (2 March 1997). "Edibala: how valid is the euphoria?". The Sunday Times. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  55. The Daily Mirror
    . Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  56. ^ Blacker, David (3 June 2012). "Blood Is Their Medal The Men Of The Parama Weera Vibushanaya". The Sunday Leader. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  57. ^ "Jungle Telegraph". The Sunday Times. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 8 March 1998. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  58. ISBN 9789554323704
    .
  59. ^ "Mullaittivu Debacle War Heroes Immortalized". Colombo, Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka Army. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
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