Sri Lanka naval action
January 2nd, 2009 From
>Date: Tue, 09 Sep 1997 08:21:49 -0700
>From: Mike Potter
>Reply-To: mike.potter@artecon.com
>Organization: Artecon, Inc.
>X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.01Gold (WinNT; I)
>To: mahan@microworks.net
>Subject: Sri Lanka naval action
>Precendence: bulk
>Sender: mahan-owner@microworks.net
>
>Tamil Tigers torch foreign-owned cargo ship in Sri Lanka
>________________________________________________________
>Copyright © 1997 Nando.net
>Copyright © 1997 Agence France-Presse
>
>COLOMBO (September 9, 1997 00:33 a.m. EDT) – Tamil Tiger guerrillas
>attacked a Panamanian-registered cargo ship off Sri Lanka’s northeastern
>coast Tuesday and fled after torching the craft, officials here said.
>
>Gunmen of the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) opened
>fire on the M.V. Cordiality and killed at least two soldiers providing
>security for the vessel at Pulmoddai, officials said.
>
>They said the vessel was loading mineral sands from a state enterprise
>in the region when the pre-dawn attack was launched.
>
>Navy gun boats were rushed to the area and they engaged at least eight
>rebel craft, officials said adding that it was not immediately clear if
>the rebels suffered any casualties.
>
>Tiger guerrillas had attacked another foreign cargo vessel in the same
>area recently and warned in July that they will target merchant ships
>traveling to the island’s northern peninsula of Jaffna.
>
>Tigers are leading a drawn out campaign for independence in the island’s
>northern and eastern regions for the two million Tamil minority. More
>than 50,000 people have died in fighting in the past 25 years.
>
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