Battle of Sampur

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Sampur
partof=the Sri Lankan civil war


caption=
date=August 28, 2006 - September 4, 2006
place=Sampur, Sri Lanka
casus=
territory=
result=Sri Lankan Army victory
combatant1=
combatant2= Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
commander1=
commander2=
strength1=
strength2=
casualties1=33 killed (According to Sri Lankan Army claims) Fact|date=July 2008
casualties2=200+ killed (According to Sri Lankan Army claims) Fact|date=July 2008
notes=

The Battle of Sampur was a battle fought in 2006 for the town of Sampur.

Background

Since the resumption of violence, concerns were mounting among the military establishment that the strategically crucialcite news |url = http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/CrisesArticle.aspx?storyId=COL24804|title = Sri Lanka army battles rebels in northeast|work = Peter Apps|publisher = Reuters |date = September 12 2006] Sri Lanka Navy base in Trinconmalee was under grave threat from LTTE gun positions located in and around Sampur, which lies across the Koddiyar Bay from Trincomalee.cite news |url = http://www.saag.org/%5Cnotes4%5Cnote331.html|title = Sri Lanka: LTTE's moment of truth at Sampur - Update 101|work = Col R Hariharan (retd.|publisher = South Asai Analysis Group |date = September 8 2006] cite news |url = http://www.hindu.com/2006/09/05/stories/2006090505251300.htm|title = Sri Lankan army captures Sampur|work = B. Muralidhar Reddy |publisher = The Hindu |date = September 5 2006] Artillery fired from LTTE bases in the area could potentially cripple the naval base, bringing it to a complete standstill and therefore cutting the only military supply chain to Jaffna. All movements of naval vessels were also under the constant surveillance of the LTTE. These fears were backed up by a United States military advisory team which visited the island in 2005.

The Battle

Following the clashes in Mavil Aru (Mavil Oya) and Muttur (Mooduthara), the LTTE had intensified attacks targeting the naval base in Trincomalee (Gokanna), and in a speech on August 21, Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapakse made clear the government intentions were to neutralize the LTTE threat from Sampur (Soma Pura). On August 28, the Sri Lankan military launched an assault to retake the LTTE camps in Sampur and the adjoining Kaddaiparichchan (Gaeta-bara-hena)and Thoppur (Thupapura) areas. This led the LTTE to declare that if the offensive continued, the ceasefire would be officially over.

After steady progress, Sri Lankan security forces led by Brigade Commander Sarath Wijesinghe re-captured Sampur (Somapura) from the LTTE on September 4, and began to establish military bases there, [cite news |url = http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=ax6hzULkWuCE|title = Sri Lanka Army captures Sampur|work = |publisher = Bloomberg.com |date = 4 September 2006] as the LTTE admitted that the army had control of the area and stated their cadres withdrew from the strategically important town. [cite news |url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2006/09/060904_sampoor_defeat.shtml| title = LTTE admits defeat in Sampoor|work = |publisher = BBC |date = 4 September 2006] It marked the first significant territorial change of hands since the signing of the ceasefire agreement in 2002.cite news |url = http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/09/04/asia/AS_GEN_Sri_Lanka.php|title = Sri Lankan military captures key rebel territory, Tigers vow to keep fighting|work = |publisher = International Herald Tribune |date = September 3 2006] The Sri Lankan Military lost 33 soldiers in the offensive and over 200 LTTE cadres were killed.cite news |url = http://www.hindu.com/2006/09/12/stories/2006091204601400.htm|title = Fierce battles continue in Jaffna|work = B. Muralidhar Reddy|publisher = The Hindu |date = September 12 2006]

References