2008–2009 Sri Lankan Army Northern offensive
| 2008–2009 SLA Northern offensive | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Sri Lankan Civil War, Eelam War IV, Northern Theater of Eelam War IV | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Military of Sri Lanka
|
 Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Gen. Sarath Fonseka: Major General Jagath Jayasuriya Major General G. A. Chandrasiri Major General Shavendra Silva Major General Jagath Dias Major General Nandana Udawatta |
Velupillai Prabhakaran † | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 50,000: 53 Division 55 Division 56 Division 57 Division 58 Division 59 Division 61 Division |
7,000-17,000 | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| 3,500+ killed, 16,000 wounded |
2,200+ killed in 2008 (LTTE claim) 4,073 killed in 2008 (SLA claim) 2,515 killed in 2009 (SLA claim) |
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| 396 civilians killed January–September 2008 20,000-40,000 civilians killed January 2009-May 2009 |
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The 2008–2009 SLA Northern offensive was an armed conflict in the northern Province of Sri Lanka between the military of Sri Lanka and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The battle broke with the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) offensive attempting to break through the LTTE defence lines in the north of the island, aiming to conclude the country's 25-year-old civil war by military victory.
Following the defeat of the LTTE in the eastern Province of Sri Lanka and their retreat to the north in July 2007, the Sri Lankan military set its sights on the rebel-held territory in the north. On January 2, 2008, the government of Sri Lanka unilaterally withdrew from the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA), signed on February 22, 2002, with the Tamil Tigers. According to Keheliya Rambukwella, a spokesman for the government on defence issues, the "Government of Sri Lanka decided to officially withdraw from the Ceasefire Agreement since it is futile to continue with the Ceasefire with no indication that LTTE is willing to enter the peace path." This set the stage for the Army's attack on the Forward Defence Lines (FDL) in the island's north.
In its plans the SLA adopted new operation tactics and strategic approaches. The Army opened several battle fronts all over the LTTE controlled areas in Vanni. The clear target of the battle was the Elephant Pass. The three main FDLs, Muhamalai, Nagarcoil and Kilali Forward Defense Lines, in Jaffna district, were hit at the same time along with the FDLs in Vavuniya and Mannar districts. Over the next weeks and months army units were sent toward LTTE bunker lines in attempts to destroy LTTE bunker positions. By the end of February, although the SLA managed to destroy at least 250 LTTE bunkers they were only able to advance a few kilometers into rebel territory. However, the SLA were still slowly advancing on the A-9 highway which directly leads toward Elephant Pass. The SLA issued several calls to the LTTE to surrender before the Army's advances.
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