Battle of Puthukkudiyirippu

Significance

The Battle of Puthukkudiyirippu was fought between Sri Lankan Military formations — the 58 Division, 53 Division, and Task Force 8 — and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for control of what is described as the LTTE's last stronghold. As part of the Northern Theatre of Eelam War IV, the battle represented a culminating phase of the Sri Lankan military's campaign to eliminate LTTE territorial control. The engagement drew senior commanders from both sides, including the Sri Lankan Army chief Sarath Fonseka and LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, underscoring the strategic weight attached to the location. Sri Lankan forces suffered 420 casualties in the fighting. The battle's place in the final stage of the civil war positions it as a critical action in the collapse of LTTE organized resistance that marked the end of the decades-long conflict.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (9)