Attack on Colombo air force base

[Naim 6]

I was at CMB in 2005 - look for my Sri Lanka tales here: http://travel.smz8.com/?p=14. It's a pity that such a wonderful country need to go through this mess. Luckily no damage on the civilian side this time.

 

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BBC

Monday, 26 March 2007, 01:34 GMT 02:34 UK

 

Attack on Colombo air force base

 

Sri Lanka Tamil Tigers have bombed a military base near the international airport north of Colombo, and the rebels warn more raids will follow.

 

Three people were killed and 16 injured when a light aircraft dropped two bombs on the base, government officials said.

 

The international airport - which was not damaged - has been closed as a precaution. No civilians were hurt.

 

Tiger rebels attacked the airport and base in 2001, killing 18 and wiping out half of the national airline fleet.

 

A statement from the Tamil Tiger rebel group, carried by TamilNet, claimed responsibility for the attack on the Katunayake base, which is 30km (20 miles) north of the capital, Colombo.

 

 

I heard a large thud and we all went to the window - there was a long silence and then several more explosions followed by machine gun fire

Neil Butler

British eyewitness

 

The group said two aircraft were used in the bombing and both planes returned to rebel-held territory safely after the attack.

 

"It is a measure to protect Tamil civilians from the genocidal aerial bombardments by Sri Lankan armed forces. More attacks of the same nature will follow," Reuters news agency quoted a rebel Tigers' spokesman as saying.

 

Air force officials said damage to the military facility was "minor" and that a search operation was now under way.

 

The BBC's Roland Buerk in Colombo says the confirmation that the rebels now have an air capability confirms government suspicions that they had been smuggling in aircraft parts to be assembled in areas of the island they control.

 

Panic

 

The raid took place at about 0045 on Monday (1915 GMT Sunday).

 

Vinodhan Joseph, who is in the area, told the BBC News website that he heard just under 10 minutes of explosions coming from the direction of the Katunayake base.

 

2001 Tamil Tiger attack on Colombo airport

The 2001 attack resulted in the loss of half the civilian fleet

 

Neil Butler, a British passenger at the airport, told the BBC News website that he was inside the civilian terminal building when the attack happened.

 

"I heard a large thud and we all went to the window. There was a long silence and then several more explosions followed by machine gun fire," he said.

 

"The staff ran for the exit followed by the passengers. When I arrived downstairs in the check-in area a large crowd was running in a panic from the entrance where there had been more machine gun fire."

 

The air force base, which adjoins the country's only international passenger airport, houses some of the aircraft used in recent air strikes against Tiger rebel bases in the north.

 

Sri Lanka has been sliding back into civil war for months, our correspondent says, and although a ceasefire does exist it is only on paper and both sides have ignored it for months.

 

Independent homeland

 

In the 2001 attack on Colombo airport, which involved suicide bombers, half of the national airline fleet was destroyed.

 

Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels have been fighting the armed forces of the predominantly Sinhalese government for much of the past 20 years.

 

They want to establish an independent homeland in the north and east of the country.

 

About 64,000 people have been killed and one million displaced by the fighting.

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[Andrew Ong 1]

In the 2001 attack on Colombo airport, which involved suicide bombers, half of the national airline fleet was destroyed.

 

Here is the aircrafts that SriLankan Airlines lost during the attack (excerpts):

 

Destroyed Planes - A320: 4R-ABA, Airbus A330: 4R-ALE and 4R-ALF, A340: 4R-ADD

Damaged Planes - A340: 4R-ADC, A320: 4R-ABB

 

Summary: Four aircraft were written off which included one Airbus A340-300 which was destroyed by an explosive charge and one Airbus A330-200 which was destroyed by a rocket fired from the control tower. In addition, one A320-200 and one A340-300 was damaged in the assault.

 

 

[Nick R. 0]

No wonder UL 316 delayed today

Here is the aircrafts that SriLankan Airlines lost during the attack (excerpts):

Damaged Planes - A340: 4R-ADC

wow..never knew that

[Keith T 2]

No wonder UL 316 delayed today

 

wow..never knew that

 

Lots of flights have been delayed. CX has suspended services indefinitely until further notice, except for the flight scheduled for tonight/tomorrow morning to carry stranded pax out.

[Seth K 3]

Just when Sri Lankan start to rise, here come the night mare

[Teoh Z Yao 0]

Rebels are such a nuisance! Simply selfish for self gain... Damage city, lives, and airports...

[KK Lee 5]

Rebels are such a nuisance! Simply selfish for self gain... Damage city, lives, and airports...

 

It is a common knowledge in Colombo that the current Sri Lankan president doesn’t want a peaceful settlement with Tamil in the north. Believe the present Sri Lankan government bare more responsibility for the worsening civil war.

 

 

[Mushrif A 3]

Rebels are such a nuisance! Simply selfish for self gain... Damage city, lives, and airports...

 

From across the fence, they are also the other side's freedom fighters...

 

Just like the US forces in Iraq....causing chaos for selfish self gain.

 

 

 

[Edwin Lau 0]

Terrible everyone suffers.

[Teoh Z Yao 0]

It is a common knowledge in Colombo that the current Sri Lankan president doesn’t want a peaceful settlement with Tamil in the north. Believe the present Sri Lankan government bare more responsibility for the worsening civil war.

 

 

From across the fence, they are also the other side's freedom fighters...

 

Just like the US forces in Iraq....causing chaos for selfish self gain.

 

 

Terrible everyone suffers.

 

 

Crazy world...