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Sri Lankan Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka said Aug. 31 that Sri Lankan government forces will recapture the rebel-held town of Sampur "within a few more days." Government troops are currently engaged in a bloody thrust to recover the town, which overlooks the strategic port of Trincomalee, from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Though the Sri Lankan army has already recovered Trincomalee, it is attempting to secure its hold on Sampur in order to consolidate its position.
Trincomalee is the deepest natural sea port in the world and is located halfway across the Tiger-held eastern seaboard of the island. Thus it holds significant strategic value for the Sri Lankan government, which has been constantly battling the Tigers' sophisticated naval wing called the Kadal Puli, or "Sea Tigers." The enhanced arsenal of the Sea Tigers includes explosives-laden speedboats for suicide missions, mini-submarines and satellite communications technology, all of which pose a significant challenge to Sri Lanka's maritime capabilities.
India has refused to provide military assistance to the Sri Lankans in the current battle. The reasons for this are primarily political.
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