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Lanka denies LTTE holds crucial bridge

The Sri Lankan government tonight denied reports that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have captured Navatkuli bridge near Jaffna town on the main highway after launching a major attack on armed defences at Ariyali.

Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera told Rupavahini Television that there was no truth in the claim and said the Navatkuli bridge, which is just three km from the town on the Jaffna-kandy A9 highway, is "intact".

He said that troops have successfully repulsed several rebel attacks and are holding on to the Tanankilappu area.

Heavy fighting erupted early this morning when Tamil rebels launched a major attack at Ariyali, five km from Jaffna, and breached Sri Lankan army's defence at a few points.

A government situation report said additional troops have been deployed and that the troops fought back effectively to repulse waves of LTTE attack.

Latest reports from Jaffna indicated that heavy fighting is going on near the town, considered by Tamil rebels as their cultural capital, since morning.

The attack comes soon after the Sri lankan government rejected the LTTE offer of a temporary ceasefire to avoid bloodbath and enable safe evacuation of some 370,00 besieged troops in the peninsula.

Government Information Director Ariya Rubasinghe said tonight that troops continue to hold the Navatkuli bridge and so far had repulsed many attempts of the rebels to get close.

He said intense fighting continued in Ariyali and Tanankilappu sectors throughout the day. The rebels had launched a heavy mortar attack on the densely populated town of Chavakachcheri, about ten km south of Jaffna.

The situation report said terrorists who were close to the main Jaffna-Kandy highway near Ariyali had occupied less than one km of the main highway.

In Tanankilappu sector, terrorists made several attempts to advance towards the main road, but the troops repulsed them, it said.

The release said 149 soldiers were wounded in the confrontation till this afternoon. Ground troops confirm that rebels suffered heavy casualties.

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