Battle of Vidattaltivu
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Vidattaltivu was a military conflict over the town of Vidattaltivu
, Sri Lanka
fought by the 58 Division
of the Sri Lankan Military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE). The battle took place on July 16, 2008, part of the Northern Theater
of Eelam War IV
during the Sri Lankan civil war
. The 58 Division victory in the battle marked the first time the Army had been in control of the town in 21 years. According to the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence
, the town had been the primary base used by the LTTE for its water operations and had also served as their logistics hub, making the taking of the town by the Army a "fatal blow" to the LTTE.
Vidattaltivu
Vidattaltivu or Vidaththaltheevu is a coastal town in the Mannar District of northwest Sri Lanka. Vidattaltivu is the biggest town situated on Sri Lanka's North-Western coast and was the major base of the Sea Tigers until recently...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
fought by the 58 Division
58 Division (Sri Lanka)
The 58 Division is an infantry division of the Sri Lanka Army formed in 2008, prior to which it was known as Task Force 1 from 2007 to 2009. A principal offensive division, it is currently deployed for combat operations in the Wanni region...
of the Sri Lankan Military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was a separatist militant organization formerly based in northern Sri Lanka. Founded in May 1976 by Vellupillai Prabhakaran, it waged a violent secessionist and nationalist campaign to create an independent state in the north and east of Sri Lanka for Tamil...
(LTTE). The battle took place on July 16, 2008, part of the Northern Theater
Northern Theater of Eelam War IV
The Northern Theater of Eelam War IV refers to the fighting that took place in the northern province of Sri Lanka between July 2006 and May 18, 2009.-Beginning of the war:...
of Eelam War IV
Eelam War IV
Eelam War IV is the name given to the fourth phase of armed conflict between the Sri Lankan military and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which is currently proscribed as a terrorist organisation by 32 countries . Renewed hostilities began on the July 26, 2006 when Sri Lanka Air...
during the Sri Lankan civil war
Sri Lankan civil war
The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
. The 58 Division victory in the battle marked the first time the Army had been in control of the town in 21 years. According to the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (Sri Lanka)
The Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law & Order is the Sri Lankan government ministry responsible for implementation of government defence policy and the headquarters of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces....
, the town had been the primary base used by the LTTE for its water operations and had also served as their logistics hub, making the taking of the town by the Army a "fatal blow" to the LTTE.