First Battle of Elephant Pass

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Date	July 10, 1991 - August 9, 1991
Location	Elephant Pass, Sri Lanka
Result	Sri Lankan Army victory

Belligerents

Military of Sri Lanka

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam

Strength

10,800

5,000

Casualties and losses

202-400+ killed^[1]

573-1,000+ killed^[1]

Sri Lankan Civil War

Periods: First – IPKF - Second - Third – Fourth Engagements: Battles & operations – Bombings and terrorist attacks – Massacres

The First Battle of Elephant Pass was a battle fought in July 1991 for the control of the Sri Lankan military base of Elephant Pass, which was of strategic importance as it linked the northern mainland known as Wanni with the Jaffna Peninsula.

[edit] The Battle

On July 10, 1991, the LTTE launched a massive attack at Elephant Pass. The battle for Elephant Pass was the most violent and bloody confrontation that ever took place between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan Army. The LTTE had previously surrounded the base and blocked off routs north and south so no reinforcements could come in. Also at the beginning of July the LTTE moved anti-aircraft guns close to the base so no helicopters can bring in supplies. Thus the 800 troops of the 6th battalion of the Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment stationed in the base were trapped, yet lead by Major (later Major General) Sanath Karunaratne fought on. The assault came from the south. On the first day the LTTE captured a few bunkers held by Sri Lankan troops. The LTTE used in the attack steel plated earth moving vehicles and tractors. They fired hundreds of mortar rounds on the positions of the armed forces. By the next day the second-in-command of the base was killed in a mortar attack.

Helicopters were not able to land at the base because of heavy enemy fire. Eventually, the Rest House camp in the southern sector of the base, fell into the hands of the LTTE. Sustaining heavy losses, the Sri Lankan troops fell back to the rear positions.

[edit] Operation Balavegaya

Main article: Operation Balavegaya

Fierce fighting continued for four days before a rescue force was sent. A huge force of 10,000 soldiers was sent. An amphibious landing was conducted at Vettilaikerni, which was just 12 kilometers east of the base. However, so much resistance was encountered from the Tigers that it took them 18 days to reach the Elephant Pass base.

With the heavy losses in men and material, the troops finally reached the Elephant Pass base, on the evening of August 3. The fighting continued until August 9, when finally the LTTE made a tactical withdrawal. The LTTE suffered 573 Tigers killed according to Tamil sources, but according to SLA sources over 1,000 of them were killed. The Army had 202 dead according to government sources, but according to LTTE sources over 400 were killed. Estimates in later years put the number of dead on both sides to be 2,000 killed. The president called the battle the 'Mother of all Battles', and the LTTE was defeated. However eight and a half years later the base will be attacked again and that time the Tigers will overrun and take the base.^[1]