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Rebel Tamils Attack Sri Lankan Air-force Base
Issue 43, October 28, 2007
BY KTM Metro Reporter
On Monday, October 22, 2007, Tamil Tiger fighters supported by their air force put up a surprise pre-dawn attack on a Sri Lankan air force base igniting a heavy gun battle. The attack on the air base damaged two helicopters and a training jet injuring 22 air-force men and surprised the Sri Lankan military, as the Anuradhapura air base was in the interior territory of the government-controlled areas according to the army spokesman.
The Sri Lankan government helicopter searching for the attackers crashed killing all four men on board. The Sri Lankan military spokesperson said that the helicopter crashed due to the engine failure.
The Tamil rebels have been waging a war against the Sri Lankan Government for an independent homeland since 1983 after tolerating discrimination of the Sinhalese majority for decades. More than 70,000 people have lost their lives due to the fighting.
On October 24, 2007, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake admitted that the Tamil rebels’ air attack on the government air force base caused far more damage than previously acknowledged by the army. Mr. Ratnasiri Wickremanayake told the Sri Lankan parliament that the attack destroyed eight aircrafts: three helicopters, four training planes and a surveillance plane on Monday, October 22.
