May 29, Colombo: Sri Lankan troops thwarted a pre-dawn sea attack by LTTE sinking three Tamil Tiger boats and killing at least 15 Tigers today while the Air Force fighter jets and Mi-24 helicopter gun-ships attacked LTTE targets in the North, the military said.

A combined Army-Navy operation at the Chiraththivu islet in Jaffna thwarted an attempt by the LTTE to infiltrate the military detachment located between the Jaffna mainland and the Mandathivu Island from the sea today killing at least 15 Tigers.

Defense reports said LTTE launched a second attack in six boats towards the islet from non-liberated Ponneryn area. Troops have repulsed the offensive sinking 3 LTTE boats and heavily damaging another which sank in the shallow waters at around 2 a.m. A military official said recovery efforts are underway to retrieve the partially sunk LTTE boat.

Air Force fighter jets and Mi-24 helicopter gun-ships raided pre-identified key LTTE locations in Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi and Mannar districts today, Air Force officials said.

Air Force Spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara said a Tiger training facility identified as 'Vellamalai base’ in Mullaitivu jungles was targeted in an air raid this morning.

A separate air attack by fighter jets targeted a well fortified LTTE forward operational base (FOB) in Kilinochchi district while Mi-24 helicopter gun-ships carried out sorties to support the advancing Army infantry and armour battalions in Pulliyankulama, Mannar.

Meanwhile indiscriminate LTTE artillery attacks launched towards the Jaffna town area killed four civilians and injured six others, the Media Center for National Security (MCNS) said.