Elusive Tiger Supremo V Prabhakaran has honoured his 'pilots' who carried out the attacks on a power station here and a military base in the restive Mannar.
COLOMBO: Notwithstanding the 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 here and a military base in the restive Mannar.
Minister of Power and Energy W D J 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.
The LTTE's 'Tamileelam Air Force (TAF)' men who carried out five consecutive raids on Sri Lankan targets received the Blue Tiger Award (Neelap Puli Viruthu), the Tamilnet said.
The Air Tiger pilots who participated in three consecutive air attacks received the 'Warriors Award of Tamil Eelam' (Thamizheezha Ma'ravar Viruthu) from Prabhakaran.
"Kiddu artillery formation" received special awards for their joint operation against the Sri Lankan forces in Vavuniya on September 9," the Tamilnet said.
Several commanders of the LTTE and its senior officials took part in the award ceremony at an undisclosed venue in Wanni, where they also paid homage to the Black Tiger Commandos killed in the Vavuniya operations, the report said.
Prior to the last Tuesday's attacks, the Tigers had carried out an air and ground strike on a military camp in the northern town of Vavuniya in September, killing 11 soldiers. The military had then said it had shot down one of the rebel planes.
The LTTE is believed to have at least two Czech-built Zlin ZO 143's light aircraft which it suspected to have acquired between April and July, 2006.
The LTTE Air Force came into prominence when it struck the Sri Lankan military air base inside Colombo's international airport in March, 2007.
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