Army retrieves the biggest arms cache in recent history- Vakarai

Victorious SL Army troops engaged in clearing operations in Vakarai and its environs yesterday, uncovered their largest cache of arms and ammunitions in recent history (Tuesday the 23rd of January).
This includes two 152mm heavy artillery guns, two 122mm recoilless artillery guns, 360 T-56 sub machine guns, 25 claymore mines, two 30mm canons, two 12.7mm machine guns and many more.
It is reliably understood that the heavy guns captured by the security forces were to be those guns that had been used by the LTTE terrorists to pound on civilian settlements in Somapura and Mahindapura areas.
Defence sources in the East say that the area is now completely out of danger from artillery fire since all the heavy guns of the LTTE are now being silenced. Government officials also confirmed that the displaced civilians who presently living in welfare camps in Kantale have agreed to return their villages.
"Over 3,000 displaced civilians are still in Kantale and resettlement will be facilitated from today (Wednesday the 24th of January) onwards with assistance of the security forces, Kantale Divisional Secretary S. Darmasena told defence.lk
Meanwhile, Military Spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe yesterday revealed that the Army engineers had restored the Panichchankerni Bridge.
Speaking at the media briefing at the MCNS in Colombo Brigadier said, "The Engineering brigade of the Sri Lanka Army has repaired the Panichchankerni Bridge, damaged by the fleeing LTTE cadres last week. Restoration of the bridge is considered as a strategic move, as it connects the A-15 road, a main highway linking the major cities of the Eastern province"
Speaking further Brigadier Samarasinghe said that the Army engineers are now being engaged in mine clearing operations in newly captured areas to facilitate swift resettlement of civilians.
" It will also help the security forces to further their humanitarian assistance to the Internally Displaced People (IDPs), under a post liberation scenario. Damage caused to the bridge deprived of food and other essential supplies for the destitute and vulnerable Tamil civilians trapped in the LTTE controlled areas of Vakarai, before the security forces gained control" Brigadier Samarasinghe added.
Latest reports from East indicate that the Army has recovered 111 Anti Personnel mines during yesterday from villages of Sirimangalapura, and Muthtuwaran. The troops has also found a canter vehicle left behind by the fleeing terrorists during the clearing operations last evening, the reports further said
Meanwhile, the intelligence sources said that a senior LTTE intelligence wing leader had been found among the LTTE bodies recovered on Sunday the 21st of January.
The slain LTTE cadre was positively identified as "Thuwaharan", the LTTE intelligence wing leader for Vakarai area. Thuwaharan was also the person in charge of questioning and torturing those captured by the LTTE.
The security forces are further consolidating their defences in Vakarai, Kadiraveli and Verugal areas. The list of weapons captured from the LTTE is as follows:List of weapons and ammunition recoveries in Vakarai
01.
152 mm Artillery Guns
- 0202. Pieces of 122 mm Artillery guns (Damaged) - 02 03.
Suicide Jackets- 02 04. T-56 Weapon -360 05. T-56 Magazine -210 06. T-56 Ammo Box - 37 07. TNT explosives - 50 Kg 08. Anti Personnel Mine (APM) -867 09. Rocket Propelled Grenade Launcher (RPG) - 07 10. RPG Bombs (HE) - 14 11. RPG Bombs - 60 12. Disposable RPG - 03 13. 60 mm Mortar Bombs - 93 14. Claymore - 25 15. Anti Tank Mine - 03 16. 40mm Grenade Launcher - 01 17. Hand Grenades - 65 18. Cannon Weapon - 02 19. T-81 Rifle - 02 20. Detonators - 34 21. Light Machine Gun - 02 22. Multi Purpose Machine Gun -01 23. 120 mm Mortar - 01 24. 120 mm Mortar Box - 37 25. 12.7 mm Weapon - 02 26. 12.7 mm Drums - 05 27. 30 mm Weapon - 02 28. 30 mm Ammunition - 57 29. 12.7 mm Ammo Links - 06 30. 9 mm Pistol -01 31. Oxygen Tank - 01 32. I'com Sets - 04 33. Sniper Weapon Parts - 03 34 OBM Machine (Horse Power 200) - 02 35. Gun Carriers - 01 36. LMG Links - 21 37. Code Sheet - 01 38. MPMG Links - 18 39. Telescope Sight - 01 40. Remote Controller - 05 41. Bangalore Torpedo - 02