பெண்புலிகளின் தலைவிகளான தங்கம்மா மாதவனி கதிரவானி ஆகியோர் கொல்லப்பட்டுள்ளார்கள்

Top female Tiger commander and her bodyguards killed in battle, Sri Lankan military says


Aug 01, Colombo: A top ranked female leader of the Tamil Tiger rebels and three of her armed bodyguards have been killed during heavy fighting between the Sri Lankan troops and Tamil Tigers, the military said today.

Citing monitored LTTE radio transmissions, defense sources said, Kumaveri Thangeamma, a self-styled Lieutenant Colonel and the head of the women's wing of the LTTE in the northern region of Mullaitivu was killed yesterday afternoon in Janakapura along with three other female cadres who were providing escort to the leader.

The military said another LTTE female group leader identified as Madavani was also killed in a separate confrontation in the Mullaitivu forest, at a location north of Janakapura on Thursday afternoon. Another six Tiger cadres were also killed in the same area in separate clashes.

Meanwhile troops destroyed a LTTE strong hold in Mannar killing seven Tigers following a three-hour long battle yesterday.

In Vavuniya, eight Tigers and two soldiers were killed during scattered clashes yesterday evening. Troops destroyed one LTTE bunker and captured another three, MCNS reports said.

Independent verification of casualty figures is not possible as reporters are not allowed in the battle zones. The government has estimated that about 5,000 LTTE cadres have been killed this year since it stepped up the military campaign.

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Leader of Mullaittivu LTTE women wing killed in clashes- Army

Sri Lanka Army yesterday (July 31) claimed that LTTE's self styled Lieutenant Colonel Kumaveri Thangeamma had been killed in a confrontation with troops of Army 59 Division occurred in the Mullaittivu forest . According to the sources, the said terrorist had been identified as the leader of the LTTE's women's wing in the Mullaittivu area.

Citing radio monitoring units, Military sources revealed the said LTTE leader had been killed during a clash flared up in North of Kiriibbanwewa area around 1.30 PM on Thursday (July 31). Also, 3 other LTTE cadres who had been providing escort to the slain LTTE leader had died in this incident, the sources further said. The names of the escorts as indicated by the radio monitoring reports were Kanthimani, Pushparani, and Magolechchami.

Meanwhile, another LTTE female group leader identified as Madavani was reportedly killed in a separate confrontation occurred in the Mullaittivu forest, at a location North of Janakapura on Thursday afternoon.

According to the reports, pitched battles are going in the Mullaittivu forest at present as troops penetrating the dense jungle in three frontiers; Janakapura, Kiriibbanwewa, and Kokkutoduvai areas.

On Tuesday (July 29) another LTTE woman leader identified as a woman "Lieutenant Colonel" Kadiravani and "Captain" Vageesan had been killed in a seven hour long pitched battle occurred in the Welioya, said a separate report. Initial reports received on this confrontation had indicated only 3 deaths to the terrorists, but later radio units of the LTTE had revealed the deaths of the terror leaders, the reports added.

According to the observers of the LTTE activities, it is the long held practice of the LTTE leadership to use women cadre at the most vulnerable frontiers. Exploiting gender discrimination, bigotry on cast and extreme poverty prevailing in the Wanni regions LTTE has been able to recruit large number of Tamil women into its ranks. Due to these hapless conditions suffered by the Tamil women in the areas under terror clutches, V. Prabhakaran is known to be the terror chief who has been able to brainwash most number of women suicide bombers in the world.