Battle of Aanandapuram

The Battle of Aanandapuram was a land battle fought between the Sri Lankan Military, 58 Division, 53 Division and Task Force 8 and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for the control of the last stronghold held by the LTTE. This battle is a part of the Northern Theater of Eelam War IV during the Sri Lankan civil war. The battle was fought in the Aanandapuram area of Puthukkudiyirippu AGA Sri Lanka.[4]

Battle of Aanandapuram
Part of Sri Lankan Civil War,
2008–2009 SLA Northern offensive
Date29 March – 5 April 2009[1]
Location
Aanandapuram, Sri Lanka
Result Decisive Sri Lankan Army victory
Territorial
changes		 Aanandapuram area regained by the Government of Sri Lanka
Belligerents
Military of Sri Lanka Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
Commanders and leaders
Lt. Gen Sarath Fonseka:
Brig Shavendra Silva[2]
Maj. Gen Kamal Gunaratne[3]
Col. G.V. Ravipriya[3]		 Velupillai Prabhakaran  †
Pottu Amman  †
Brigadier Theepan  †
Brigadier Bhanu  †[2]
Strength
Sri Lanka Army:
58 Division
53 Division
Task Force 8[2]		 ~1000 fighters
Casualties and losses
~600 killed
Three 130mm artillery, several mortars,1 jeep, 3 pickup trucks mounted with 14.5mm & 1 AA gun captured[4]

Build up

Since the start of the northern offensive in 2008 the Sri Lankan Army had been steadily progressing on multiple fronts. As the LTTE had limited men and firepower, it was gradually withdrawing towards the North East part of the country. Finally they were confined to a small littoral strip of territory located between the A-35 highway (Paranthan-Mullaitheevu road) Nanthikadal and Chalai lagoons on one side and the Indian Ocean on the other.[5]

More than 50,000 soldiers from five divisions and three task forces besieged the LTTE. The Tigers were trying desperately to break out of this encirclement and drive the forces back. Against this backdrop the LTTE planned to launch a massive counter-offensive against the armed forces. The idea was to conduct a carefully planned operation that would deliver a crippling blow to the security forces.

The battle

On 30 March LTTE launched a massive attack on SLA front line in Puthukuduyirippu area, advancing out of the no-fire zone. LTTE advanced towards Puthukudiyirippu facing stiff resistance by Sri Lankan Army. SL Army’s 53rd and 58th divisions and Task Force 8 advanced out of Puthukkudiyiruppu in a pincer movement intended to outflank the Charles Anthony regiment which held the eastward-running Puthukkudiyiruppu-Iranappaalai-Puthumaathalan road. A brigade of the 58th Division swung east and then south, while another from the 53rd, along with TF8, attacked east and then north, both pincers meeting at Pachaipullumottai junction to the rear of Charles Anthony, cutting the footpath between Ambalaranpokkanai to Pachaipullumotti which LTTE used as a supply line. The Tigers fought fiercely to prevent the encirclement but were overwhelmed. Special Forces and Commandos set an ambush in the coconut trees east of the pocket, cutting routes of reinforcement to the LTTE trapped in Aanandapuram. A reinforced company of Tigers under Col Lawrence was sent in a convoy which attempted to reach the 2  km square pocket, but were ambushed and destroyed by special forces. Injured, Lawrence managed to escape with a few survivors. The Army moved in heavy support weapons, artillery and multiple-barrel rocket launchers. By 5 April, the battle was over. This was an extremely decisive battle in 2008–2009 Sri Lankan Army Northern offensive. LTTE lost most of its major leaders in a single battle and this was the first time such a thing had happened in its history.

LTTE casualties

Senior LTTE leaders killed[4]
  • Velayuthapillai Baheerathakumar alias Brig. Theepan (Overall commander of the LTTE northern front fighting formations)
  • Bri.Viduthalai alias Amuthan alias Gaddafi (Bodyguard of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, later a commander of the Imran-Pandian regiment)
  • Brig.Manivannan (Leader of the "Kittu" artillery regiment)
  • Brig.Durga alias Yaazhini (Special commander of Sothia regiment)
  • Brig.Vidhusha (Special commander of Maalathi regiment)
  • Manickapodi Maheswaran alias Col.Keerthi (Special commander of Jayanthan Infantry brigade)
  • Selvaratnam Sundaram alias Col.Nagesh (Deputy commanders of Jayanthan Infantry brigade)
  • Col.Gopith (Special commander of the Charles Anthony infantry brigade)
  • Col.Kamalini (Deputy Commander of Maalathi regiment)
  • Col.Mohana (Deputy commander of Sothia regiment)
  • Col.Gopalan (Deputy commander of the "Kutty Sri" mortar regiment)
  • Col.Amudha (Women division Chief of the "Kutty Sri" mortar regiment)
  • Col.Suyaaki (Imran-Pandian regiment)
  • Col.Asmi (Leader of "Ponnamman" mining unit)
  • Col.Tamil Selvi alias Mathi (Special commander of Malathi regiment)
  • Col.Veengaiyan alias Aiyanaar (Commander of Radha air-defence regiment)
  • Col.Ellalan
  • Lt.col.Makeenthiram (Chief of 'Sea Resource' department)
  • Lt.col.Vaakiisan
  • Lt.col.Silamparasan (commander of Radha air-defence regiment)
  • Lt.col.Seralaathan (In-charge of the Tiger TV "Nitharsanam")
  • Lt.col.Meyyarivu (Imran-Pandian regiment)
  • Lt.col.Rajesh (Imran-Pandian regiment)
  • Lt.col.Akilesh (Imran-Pandian regiment)
  • Lt.col.Nalan (Special commander of Imran-Pandian regiment)
  • Lt.col.Hindustani (Land Black Tiger)
  • Lt.col.Anbu (Deputy commander of Radha air-defence regiment)
  • Lt.col.Amuthaap (Deputy commander of the Charles Anthony infantry brigade)
  • Lt.col.Mukaithiin
  • Lt.col.Puratchi Nilaa(Commander of Malathi regiment's commanding post)


Senior LTTE leaders killed (Ranks unknown)[4]
  • S. Thangan (Deputy-political commissar and administrative officer under S. P. Thamilselvan)
  • Mahindan (Senior Sea Tiger Commander)
  • Chitrangan (Manal Aru attack commander)
  • Aadithyan (Manal Aru attack commander)
  • Iniyavan (Special commander of Radha air-defence regiment)
  • Anton (Leader of LTTE Trincomalee Intelligence department(TOSIS))
  • Maankuyil (One of the commanders of LTTE Intelligence department(TOSIS))

Other Senior leaders named Ruban, Panjan, Ashvini, Anjchaan, Vannam, Aaral.[4]

Alampil Landing

This was done by Ltte to break the Anandhapuram box and to safely take out their cadres. But it was failed due to the heavy Shelling of SriLankan Army and repelled by SLA. On 04.04.2009 Senior LTTE Commander Colonel Jayam †, Attack commander of LTTE intelligence department(TOSIS) Colonel Veerathevan †(Later killed in this landing) and Commander Colonel Peerinpam were handed over the task by LTTE Chief Velupillai Prabhakaran to land an eighty Ltte Cadres and their supplies from Mullivaikal to Nayarru Hill and bring the Cadres who were trapped in the Aananthapuram box to Mullivaikkal.

Accordingly, the LTTE supply teams (Fifteen Boats) were ordered to provide security for the landing teams by LTTE Admiral Soosai(Soosai, used to instruct the LTTE teams to ensure that they do not allow to cause any harm to the cadres coming through the distribution operation from any part of Tamil Eelam as they go through each distribution operation.) The Sea Tigers Sea attack teams were also deployed on the evening of 03.04.2009 to ensure that the Sri Lanka Navy did not interfere with the landing.

As more and more of their boat contingents were going, they were identified by the Sri Lankan Army and the shells were fired into the sea since they started off. But despite the dangers, the distribution teams went their own way according to the tasks assigned to them. After receiving the command from the command centre, that is, on 04.04.2009 at about three o'clock in the morning, the team led by Colonel Veerathevan landed first.

As they were a small team and their fighters made inexperienced long-distance voyages, they were eventually killed in the battle where there was no cover for fighting against the Sri Lankan Army who was in the shore and getting reinforced from other parts. Nearly 20-25 LTTE fighters were killed in that Landing according to SLAs wartime report. Later Col. Veerathevan's body was recovered from the seashore by SLA.

As the attempt was unsuccessful, other fighters safely arrived in Mullivaikkal with the help of the Sea Regiments(Nalaayini Special Sea Regiment and Charles Special Sea Regiment) of Sea tigers.

See also

References
  1. Sri Lankan Army Archived December 20, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  2. Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence Archived May 10, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  3. Daily News - government owned newspaper Archived June 4, 2011, at the Wayback Machine

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