Sri Lanka military says they destroyed a Sea Tiger base

Military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said the sea Tiger base has been used as the LTTE to launch attacks on military at Mankerni.

The military retaliated artillery attacks by the LTTE at Mankerny, Kajuwatta and Maavilaru on Monday and Sunday, he said.

Fishermen 'attacked'

He denied reports that fishermen fallen victim of the air attacks.

“You might have received that information from the LTTE. There are no fishermen in Vakarai area,” Brig. Samarasinghe told BBC Sandeshaya.

Tamil Tigers said five civilians sustained injuries as military launched air and shell attacks on the east.

Denying that they launched attacks on military, LTTE military spokesman Rasiah Ilantherian said the international truce monitors should be allowed to visit the area to verify the situation.

LTTE response

“You can come from London or let the government to allow monitors to visit the areas to subjectively verify the situation,” he told bbcsinhala.com.

Ilantherian also denied that a sea Tiger based was destroyed by Sri Lanka military.

Brigadier Samarasinghe accused the LTTE of using civilians as a human shield.

He however admitted that nearly 8000 people have left the LTTE-held areas due to increased fighting.

“Nearly 600 people have fled the areas under LTTE in recent days,” he said.