Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Battle of Mullaitivu (1996)
The Battle of Mullaitivu (Tamil: முல்லைத்தீவுச் சமர், romanized: Mullaittīvup Pōr; Sinhala: මුලතිව් සටන Mulativ Saṭana), also known as the First Battle of Mullaitivu and codenamed Operation Unceasing Waves-1 (Tamil: ஓயாத அலைகள்-1 நடவடிக்கை, romanized: Ōyāta Alaikaḷ-1 Naṭavaṭikkai), was a battle between the militant Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE or Tamil Tigers) and the 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 fighters were also killed.
After losing control of the 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.
With the escalation of the Sri Lankan Civil War, the Sri Lanka Army established a permanent detachment at Mullaitivu which expanded in to army camp of a company strength until the LTTE laid siege to it in June 1990. The isolated camp was relieved when the Sri Lankan military launched its first amphibious operation Operation Sea Breeze under the command of Major General Denzil Kobbekaduwa which successfully relieved the besieged army camp and expanded it, during which the entire population of the town of Mullaitivu fled the town. The base expanded over the years to incorporate the entire town. It became one of the largest military bases in Sri Lanka, occupying an area of 2,900m by 1,500m with a perimeter of 8,500m. The base was surrounded by the sea to the east, the Nanthi Kadal lagoon to west and dense vegetation to the north and south.
The base was isolated with the nearest base being at Manal Aru and Weli Oya, some 35 km to the south. 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. 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. Under the plan reinforcements would arrive by sea and air the following morning. Radars and two generators, one acting as a back-up, were installed.
The base was responsible for monitoring the Sea Tigers, the LTTE's naval division, and smuggling. It was the headquarters of the army's 25 Brigade and was under the command of Colonel Lawrence Fernando who was the officiating brigade commander. The 25 Brigade consisted of two infantry battalions, which were the 6th battalion of the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment (6VIR), commanded by Major T. R. A. Aliba, and the 9th battalion of 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. The base's strength was 1,407 just prior to the battle (1,268 army; 9 navy; 49 police; 81 civilians).
Traditionally July had been a month of importance to the LTTE, who commemorate the Black July that followed the ambush of Four Four Bravo which is considered the start of the civil war and the successful first Black Tiger attack by Captain Miller. July is marked with LTTE major attacks such as the that of the Weli Oya garrison in 1995. On 4 July 1996, a female 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.
The LTTE believed that the Sri Lankan military were planning to attack Kilinochchi in mid July 1996. In order to forestall such an attack the LTTE started preparing plans to attack the military base in Mullaitivu. However, in order to divert attention away from Mullaitivu, the LTTE started amassing cadres near the military bases at Elephant Pass and Pooneryn. In late June 1996 they started moving coffins within sight of military observation posts in order to raise suspicions in the military.
Hub AI
Battle of Mullaitivu (1996) AI simulator
(@Battle of Mullaitivu (1996)_simulator)
Battle of Mullaitivu (1996)
The Battle of Mullaitivu (Tamil: முல்லைத்தீவுச் சமர், romanized: Mullaittīvup Pōr; Sinhala: මුලතිව් සටන Mulativ Saṭana), also known as the First Battle of Mullaitivu and codenamed Operation Unceasing Waves-1 (Tamil: ஓயாத அலைகள்-1 நடவடிக்கை, romanized: Ōyāta Alaikaḷ-1 Naṭavaṭikkai), was a battle between the militant Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE or Tamil Tigers) and the 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 fighters were also killed.
After losing control of the 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.
With the escalation of the Sri Lankan Civil War, the Sri Lanka Army established a permanent detachment at Mullaitivu which expanded in to army camp of a company strength until the LTTE laid siege to it in June 1990. The isolated camp was relieved when the Sri Lankan military launched its first amphibious operation Operation Sea Breeze under the command of Major General Denzil Kobbekaduwa which successfully relieved the besieged army camp and expanded it, during which the entire population of the town of Mullaitivu fled the town. The base expanded over the years to incorporate the entire town. It became one of the largest military bases in Sri Lanka, occupying an area of 2,900m by 1,500m with a perimeter of 8,500m. The base was surrounded by the sea to the east, the Nanthi Kadal lagoon to west and dense vegetation to the north and south.
The base was isolated with the nearest base being at Manal Aru and Weli Oya, some 35 km to the south. 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. 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. Under the plan reinforcements would arrive by sea and air the following morning. Radars and two generators, one acting as a back-up, were installed.
The base was responsible for monitoring the Sea Tigers, the LTTE's naval division, and smuggling. It was the headquarters of the army's 25 Brigade and was under the command of Colonel Lawrence Fernando who was the officiating brigade commander. The 25 Brigade consisted of two infantry battalions, which were the 6th battalion of the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment (6VIR), commanded by Major T. R. A. Aliba, and the 9th battalion of 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. The base's strength was 1,407 just prior to the battle (1,268 army; 9 navy; 49 police; 81 civilians).
Traditionally July had been a month of importance to the LTTE, who commemorate the Black July that followed the ambush of Four Four Bravo which is considered the start of the civil war and the successful first Black Tiger attack by Captain Miller. July is marked with LTTE major attacks such as the that of the Weli Oya garrison in 1995. On 4 July 1996, a female 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.
The LTTE believed that the Sri Lankan military were planning to attack Kilinochchi in mid July 1996. In order to forestall such an attack the LTTE started preparing plans to attack the military base in Mullaitivu. However, in order to divert attention away from Mullaitivu, the LTTE started amassing cadres near the military bases at Elephant Pass and Pooneryn. In late June 1996 they started moving coffins within sight of military observation posts in order to raise suspicions in the military.