Lanka steps up airstrikes after sea battle

Sri Lanka's military stepped up air attacks against Tamil Tiger rebels in the island's north after a sea battle left heavy casualties on both sides, officials said yesterday.
War planes hit a suspected training base for Tamil Tiger guerrillas at Iranamadu, just south of the guerrillas' political capital of Kilinochchi, on Sunday morning, defence officials said.
"The fighter jets accurately hit the target," spokesman Janaka Nanayakkara said. He did not say if there were reports of casualties.
The military carried out the air strikes shortly after the Tigers staged an attack against a naval patrol off the island's northern coast on Saturday, sparking heavy fighting.
The defence ministry said the navy sank at least four rebel boats and killed at least 14 guerrillas while the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said they destroyed a navy fast attack vessel and a hovercraft.
The Tigers, in remarks published on the pro-rebel Tamilnet.com website, said 20 of their attack craft took part in the battle and that they lost seven suicide attackers.
The Tigers said the navy was forced to withdraw from the area after suffering "heavy losses."
The latest sea battle came as Tigers were defending Kilinochchi against a ground offensive by security forces.
Meanwhile, notwithstanding Sri Lankan government's assertions that the recent LTTE air raids on its bases caused minor damage, elusive Tiger Supremo V Prabhakaran has honoured his 'pilots' who carried out the attacks on a power station in Colombo and a military base in the restive Mannar.
Minister of Power and Energy WDJ Senaviratne said the LTTE air attack targeting the Kelanitissa Power Station here earlier this week was an "abortive mission of the terrorists" in which "minor damage" was caused to the station and the power supply process was not affected.
Officials also said that LTTE aircraft dropped two bombs at the Kelanitissa power station and caused minor damage to the FIAT (GT7) gas turbine power generator and the combined cycle power machine. They said the LTTE failed in their attempt to destroy the Power Station.
Prior to the Colombo air attack, an LTTE light aircraft dropped three bombs targeting the Thallady army camp in northwestern Mannar on Tuesday, causing minor injuries to three army soldiers, the military said.
However, Prabhakaran conferred "awards of valour" to Tiger pilots who "excelled in their performance" during the LTTE operations in the Vavuniya region and the air attacks in Colombo and Mannar, the pro-rebel Tamilnet website reported.
In the pictures released by the outfit, a stout-looking Prabhakaran in his army fatigue was shown honouring the LTTE commandos.