August 31, 2007: As the LTTE continues to crumble,
from declining Tamil support and much reduced cash and weapons shipments from
overseas. Unable to deal with the army on the ground, the LTTE is increasingly
returning to terrorism. The latest alarm in that department involved fears that
poison gas terror attacks were in the works. The LTTE are supposed to have
supplies of cyanide and potassium for this purpose. These poisons are believed
to have been brought in some time ago. Currently, the efforts of the Sri Lankan
and Indian navies makes it difficult to smuggle anything in with any degree of
success. Moreover, Indian police are arresting LTTE operatives, and not
allowing them to discretely go about their business.
August 28, 2007: In the last 22 months, government
forces have lost 1,258 men (soldiers and local militia/village guard), while
the the LTTE has lost 2,000 dead, and many more captured and deserted. Over a
thousand civilians have also died as well. There are still several people a day
being killed, and over a hundred casualties (dead and wounded) a week. This
shows no sign of declining.
The government is playing down any prospects of a
major military offensive in the north. But in the meantime, there is constant
pressure on the LTTE. This takes the form of daily patrols, and attacks on LTTE
facilities using artillery and warplanes. Then there are the Deep Penetration
Units, which no one will officially say much about. These commando type units
go deep, and do a lot of damage. The government is apparently hoping to weaken
the LTTE in the north, until the organization collapses. Meanwhile, in eastern
Sri Lanka, hundreds of LTTE fighters who fled the army offensive, are now
waging a guerilla war against the rebel LTTE Karuna faction, and government
forces. The LTTE apparently hopes to regain some control over the east via a
guerilla campaign.
August 26, 2007: Police found and disarmed a large
bomb that had been hidden in an area where a large Buddhist festival was to be
held. While the LTTE is non religious, most of its Tamil supporters are Hindu,
and the religious angle is pushed by the Sinhalese Buddhists, who are the most
rabid nationalists.
