Battle of Kilinochchi (2008–2009)

Battle of Kilinochchi
Part of the Sri Lankan Civil War, 2008–2009 SLA Northern offensive
Kilinochchi
Date 23 November 2008 – 2 January 2009 Location Kilinochchi, Northern Sri Lanka Result Decisive Sri Lankan Army victory
Belligerents
Military of Sri Lanka	LTTE
Commanders and leaders
Lt. Gen Sarath Fonseka Maj. Gen Jagath Dias Brig. Shavendra Silva	Velupillai Prabhakaran Colonel Bhanu Colonel Theepan Lt Col Lawrence
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown
Both parties claimed to have inflicted heavy casualties on the other, while suffering minimal losses. Verification of either count of casualties is impossible since there are no independent reports from the battle front.

Coordinates: 9°22′59″N 80°24′00″E / 9.383°N 80.4°E / 9.383; 80.4

Lt. Gen Sarath Fonseka
Maj. Gen Jagath Dias

The Battle of Kilinochchi was a land battle fought between the Sri Lankan Military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for the control of the town of Kilinochchi in the Northern Theater of Eelam War IV during the Sri Lankan civil war between November 2008 and January 2009. The town of Kilinochchi was the administrative center and de facto capital of the LTTE's proposed state of Tamil Eelam.

The Sri Lankan Army (SLA) conducted an offensive through the months of November and December 2008 during which three attempts were made to capture the town during the month of December. These were thwarted by the LTTE, and both sides claimed that they suffered minimal casualties while inflicting maximum damage on the other during these assaults. The Sri Lanka Air Force launched air strikes against LTTE positions in Kilinochchi throughout this period. On 2 January 2009, divisions of the Sri Lanka Army advanced into Kilinochchi from the northern, southern and western directions of the town, and the LTTE fighters withdrew into positions in nearby jungles. Mahinda Rajapaksa, the president of Sri Lanka, later announced that the military had taken control of the town and urged the LTTE to lay down arms and surrender. However, the LTTE stated that the SLA captured a "ghost town" after they withdrew, and described it as an insignificant loss.

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