COLOMBO, June 10: Hundreds of Sri Lankan soldiers and Tamil guerrillas were killed and several more injured when the LTTE launched a ferocious counter-attack on the forces of Operation Jaya Sekuru. Over 1,500 LTTE rebels, mostly woman suicide squads, blew up an army ammunition depot and a strategic bridge.The rebels successfully cut off the lone supply route and isolated over 20,000 troops on the army's rear lines north of Vavuniya town.Three civilians were also killed and more than 20 wounded critically as the LTTE rained artillery shells on Vavuniya, apparently aimed at the military camp in the town, during the attack on the army at Thandikulam and Nochchimottai, two kms north of the city limit on the Killinochchi highway. Troops that had advanced to Omanthai along the same road were cut off by the attack and now stand isolated, unable to either advance or retreat.Reports from Vavuniya indicate that the Tigers blew up the ammunition dump at Thandikulam, which continued to explode till well after sunrise. They also blew up a bridge connecting Thandikulam with Nochchimottai over a small stream, being used by the supply vehicles.They took away large quantities of medicines, after overrunning the military at Thandikulam and Nochchimottai. Late in the afternoon, a military spokesman said the attack had been repulsed. ``Troops fought back valiantly to completely repulse the attack causing very heavy casualties among the terrorists,'' a communique from the defence ministry said. It said the aim of the terrorists was to destroy the military base at Vavuniya with the objective of disrupting Operation Jaya Sekuru. The air force bombed the area to scatter the Tigers but in the process, a helicopter gunship was damaged by LTTE mortar fire.Giving no details of casualties, the statement said the army was now ``engaged in the process of securing the area''. Sources however said no army reinforcements were seen moving from the base.
