Shell gas increased by Rs.126/-

Shell Gas Company has decided to increase the price of a domestic cylinder of gas by Rs.126/- from tonight. Accordingly a domestic cylinder of Shell gas would be priced at Rs.1863/-
Laugfs too has indicated that it would increase gas prices in a few days. Though companies state the increase in prices is due to higher prices in the world market, prices of gas has fallen in the world market from the month of July.

Troops in pursuit of LTTE: at least 10 LTTE bodies found scattered - Padawiya

Army's elite Special Forces (SF) troops in pursuit of terrorists encircled at Konketiyawa, East of the Padawiya tank have reportedly observed at least 10 LTTE bodies scattered in the area, according to latest reports received, Sunday (Aug 31).
Intermittent gunfire exchanges were reported in the area since this morning our Welioya correspondent said, citing military, as troops further claimed to have sealed all 'way-routes' combined with the Civil Defence Force(CDF) personnel in the area. Details of the latest confrontations are not available our correspondent said, adding that the terrorists' chances of survival are minimum in the area, given the mobility and fire superiority of the Special Forces (SF).
Troops have already seized an LTTE body, a T-56 assault riffle and 3 belt orders in subsequent search operations conducted. The SF troopers were immediately reinforced after clashes broke out between CDF personnel and LTTE since 6.30 a.m, Saturday, when troops on patrol observed a group of terrorists in Army guise attempting to infiltrate into the area. A civilian was also reported wounded due to the indiscriminate LTTE gunfire attack and later transferred to the General Hospital at Anuradhapura.
According to military, the LTTE group may have been given specific orders to infiltrate into the liberate areas and cause destruction to both civilian and military targets triggering a slow down of the military advances into the last LTTE bastions at Kilinochchi and Mullaittivu Districts.
3 personnel were killed including a Civil Defence Force (CDF) trooper, while similar numbers were reported injured in yesterday's confrontation, according to reports received.
Meanwhile, Police have also reported killed a terrorist in general area Vahalkada and subsequently recovered the body, according to defence sources(News-SLDefence)

The Secretary of Defence visits and assesses security of Mannar

The Secretary of Defence, Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksha, accompanied by the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Donald Perera and the Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, visited Mannar yesterday-the 30th August 2008, in order to assess the security situation in the area.
The itinerary of the visit comprised of visiting and assessing security condition of the area under North Central Naval Command. They had visited the naval detachment at Irrukkalmpiddy- the naval installation closest to un-cleared areas, the naval base in Thalaimannar, Special Boat Squadron and the Rapid Action Boat Squadron. He also declare opened the newly constructed two-storied North Central Naval Command Headquarters in Mannar which was built by the naval personnel in the civil engineering branch of the navy within a short span of time like three months saving a large sum of money that would have incurred.
In his visit, the Secretary of Defence, Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapakshe, had inspected the Special Boat Squadron and the Rapid Action Boat Squadron which has been imposing a severe threat to the LTTE activities in the Mannar Sea and had also spoken to the troops. The boats and the craft used by the Special Boat Squadron and the rapid action Boat squadron, on board one out of which the Secretary Defence sailed around in his inspection tour, have been constructed by the personnel in the naval engineering branch utilizing indigenous material and expertise. The SBS and Rapid Action Boat Squadron very recently raided the Iranativu Island which was under the presence of LTTE cadres.
The naval troops deployed in the North Central Command have successfully been putting in a blockade on the sea route of smuggling weaponry and other war-like materials by LTTE from the narrow sea strip in the Gulf of Mannar. (News-sldefence)