Eastern Theatre of Eelam War IV

Eastern Theatre of Eelam War IV
Part of the Eelam War IV
An unexploded 122mm projectile from a multiple rocket launcher stuck into muddy ground in Vaharai, Batticaloa.
Date July 21, 2006 – July 11, 2007 Location Sri Lanka Result Sri Lankan Military victory
Belligerents
Sri Lanka* Military of Sri Lanka, Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal	Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
Commanders and leaders
General Sarath Fonseka, Major General Parakrama Pannipitiya Karuna Amman	Brigadier Sornam, Brigadier Bhanu (Tamil militant)
Strength
20,000 (approx.)	3,000 (approx.)

The Eastern Theatre of Eelam War IV started in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka on July 21, 2006, when the LTTE cut off the water supply to rice fields in eastern Trincomalee district. The government claimed total control of the Eastern province after capturing Thoppigala (Baron's cap) on July 11, 2007, after nearly a year of fighting.^[1] Major battles took place at Sampoor, Vakarai, Kanchikudicharu, Kokkadichloai and Thoppigala. Military and civilian deaths were relatively low on both sides. Government forces captured much military hardware from the LTTE during the conflict. The civilians managed to flee the combat zones, and this reduced civilian casualties, while swelling the number of internally displaced people (IDP). The world health organization (WHO) estimated ~200,300 IDPs, and claims that significant progress occurred in resettling them.^[2] The LTTE vowed to attack Sri Lanka's military and economic targets across the country to retaliate for the capture of the Eastern province from them. This was stated by the leader of the LTTE's political wing, S.P. Thamilchelvan, in a statement to Associated Press on July 12, 2007.^{[citation needed]}