Battle of Weli Oya (1995): Difference between revisions
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|combatant2=[[Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam]] |
|combatant2=[[Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam]] |
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|commander1=[[Brigadier]] [[Janaka Perera]], |
|commander1=[[Brigadier]] [[Janaka Perera]], |
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|commander2=[[ |
|commander2=[[Colonel]] Raju alias Kuyilan </br> Lt. Col. Komala {{KIA}} |
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|strength1= |
|strength1= |
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|strength2= |
|strength2= ~500 |
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|casualties1= |
|casualties1= Unknown |
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|casualties2= |
|casualties2= Including 128 women fighters 180 killed (LTTE claim) </br> |
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* Among the Killed 57 were Women Leopard Force commandos</br> |
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* Two 130mm T59-1 artilleries were destroyed |
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Revision as of 16:07, 20 February 2023
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (July 2020) |
| Battle of Weli Oya | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Sri Lankan civil war | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Military of Sri Lanka | Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Brigadier Janaka Perera, |
Colonel Raju alias Kuyilan Lt. Col. Komala † | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| ~500 | |||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown |
Including 128 women fighters 180 killed (LTTE claim)
| ||||||
The Battle of Weli Oya, was a battle between the militant Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE or Tamil Tigers) and the Sri Lanka Army during the Sri Lankan Civil War for control of the military bases in Weli Oya in northern Sri Lanka on 28 July 1995.
Background
The LTTE launched a surprise attack, on the government controlled area of Weli Oya, aimed at overrunning four army camps (Kokkilai, Kokkuthuduvai, Jayasinghapura and Janakapura) in the area including the Weli Oya Brigade headquarters. Troops posted to these camps were mostly reservists from volunteer regiments, national guardsmen with artillery and engineering units.
The army units came under the command of Brigadier Janaka Perera, Brigade Commander of the 6th "Weli Oya" Brigade, who had prepared the defense of the camps, having gain warning of a possible attack from the military intelligence.[1][2]
Attack
On the morning of 28 July 1995, LTTE units which included veterans from their attack on Pooneryn armed with weapons captured from the army at Pooneryn; attacked from both land and from seaward amphibious landings. Within five hours the attack had withered with the LTTE suffering over 300 carders killed, including its leaders.
The army units which had put a stiff defense had sustained 2 killed and many wounded. The attackers failed to penetrate the defense lines or knock out artillery gun placements as it had planned with the use of female suicide bombers. SLAF provided air support, knocking out LTTE transports, while the Sri Lanka Navy deployed Dvora-class fast patrol boats off the coast of Weli Oya disrupting LTTE movements at sea.[3]
Aftermath
Soon after the battle, Brigadier Perera was transferred to command the elite Reserve Strike Force (RSF) which consisted of special forces, commando and air mobile units in Jaffna. A few months later he played a major role commanding the elite 53 Division in the Operation Riviresa which the Sri Lanka Army re-captured the whole of the Jaffna peninsula[3]
Following his retirement, Major General Janaka Perera entered politics contesting in the 2008 North Central Provincial Council election for the post of Chief Minister.
Although his party failed to gained majority, he won the highest number of preferences. He was killed a few months later by a LTTE suicide bomber on 6 October 2008 in Anuradhapura.[4]
See also
References
- ^ "Sri Lanka Rebels' Attack Backfires; 200 Are Killed : Asia: Army was alerted about simultaneous raids at four camps. Fifteen guerrilla boats sunk". latimes.com. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
- ^ Taraki. "Blinded in the Wanni quagmire". Sunday Times. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
- ^ a b Ferdinando, Shamindra (30 September 2012). "War on terror revisited: Three significant battlefield victories". The Island. Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 15 November 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
- ^ Sirilal, Ranga (6 October 2008). "Sri Lanka suicide bomb kills 26 including politician". Reuters. Reuters. Retrieved 2 May 2022.