Air force sets up radars to track LTTE air power

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has installed eight radars in the aftermath of the Tamil Tigers' first-ever aerial strike in Sri Lanka two days ago.

The radars have been set up at the Seeniappa Darga Casurina jungle near Sundaramudaiyan village in Ramanathapuram district in Tamil Nadu, according to a senior IAF officer. A team of 50 personnel under a commander would be posted there, he said.

There was also a plan to set up a permanent air-base near Seeniappa Dargah, the official, who wished not to be named, said.

The decision to install the radars came two days after the LTTE carried out an aerial attack on a military air base in Colombo, killing three people and injuring 16.

The Navy has begun round-the-clock patrolling of sea from the forward observation point (FOP) near Dhanushkodi. Twelve marine commandos have been posted at the point, to which communication links have been established. The Coast Guard would also patrol the international maritime border in the Palk Straits, said official sources.

Sri Lanka's government had yesterday said that the raid by the LTTE was evidence that the rebels had an air unit that posed a threat to the country as well as neighbouring India.

"The LTTE is the only terrorist group in the world to have air capability," Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, the minister for trade, commerce and highways, said yesterday in Colombo, according to the Ministry of Defence.

The LTTE said yesterday's raid was carried out by two light-wing aircraft that were part of its new air wing, a report said. The group didn't say how many planes it had.

Sri Lanka's peace process collapsed last year as fighting escalated in the north and east of the country and two rounds of talks failed in Geneva.

Sri Lankan security forces today captured a key Tamil Tiger base in the island's embattled east as part of a move to evict the guerrillas from the coastal region. The Army said it took control of Kokkadichcholai in Batticaloa district and seized arms, ammunition, mines and several buildings used by the LTTE.

"Marking one more milestone in the Army's forward march to secure the besieged eastern areas from LTTE clutches, valiant troops this morning completely brought Kokkadichcholai under their control," the Army said.

Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon today expressed India's concern over the use of air power by the LTTE but added that the humanitarian crisis developing in the Island nation was more alarming.

"With such large number of refugees fleeing violence, there is a huge humanitarian crisis developing," he said.