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Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), April 24 (Reuters): Small, easy to conceal and lethal in their effect, suspected Tamil Tiger rebel claymore mines are taxing Sri Lanka’s military.
In both a series of attacks in December and January that preceded a first round of peace talks and a newer spike of violence this month that has stretched a 2002 truce to its limits, suspected Tiger ambushes have killed dozens of troops and police.
“It is very difficult,” said a lieutenant, sweat running down his face in the morning heat as he led a patrol of naval infantry through the northeastern town of Trincomalee, scene of recent attacks and ethnic riots. “The LTTE move through the people. It could be anyone here. Things can happen in just one minute.”
The military says the LTTE have been using both industrially made and improvised Claymore mines ? blocks of plastic explosive impregnated with ball bearings that blast out a hail of steel in a semi-circle ? to try and maximise casualties and hit military morale.
The Tigers deny responsibility for the attacks and accuse army special forces of launching their own Claymore attacks in rebel areas, which would also be a breach of the battered ceasefire. The army denies the charge. The military says it is frustrating some Tiger attacks. Today, the army says soldiers shot and killed two Tigers laying a Claymore ambush near the eastern town of Batticaloa.
Sometimes dug into earth mounds at the side of the road, sometimes concealed in undergrowth and sometimes wheeled into position attached to bicycles or autorickshaws, the army says the mines are detonated by remote control by a hidden rebel. Claymores, named after a medieval Scottish broadsword by their original designers, can also be set up to be triggered by tripwire, effectively making them anti-personnel mines.