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Article: Road of blood: Sri Lanka. (Sri Lankan army clashes with Tamil Tigers in Jaffna)(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- The Economist (US)
- Article date:
- October 10, 1998
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1998 Economist Newspaper Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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IT IS now more than two years since the Sri Lankan army captured Jaffna, the main town of the Tamil Tigers' would-be independent state. Ever since, the army has been trying, without much success, to open up a safe route to Jaffna from the south of the island. In the army's latest clash with the Tigers, resulting in some of the fiercest fighting of Sri Lanka's 15-year civil war, it appears to have been badly mauled.
On September 27th, the Tigers attacked Kilinochchi, a well-fortified army base. Two days later it was theirs. Kilinochchi is close to Elephant Pass, which the army needs to control if Jaffna is to be supplied by road instead of, as now, by air or sea. Not ...