THOPPIGALA OPERATION - 28 Feb 2007 To 11 July 2007
The dominating peak in the area is called Thoppigala (British called it Baron$s cap, tamils called it Kudumbimalai).It is situated near the Batticaloa - Polonnaruwa border close to MaduruOya the Sri Lankan military$s largest infantry training base. The area is 800 square kilometers, with Rocky Mountains (Dimbulagala - Lahugala range), dense jungles and also ancient irrigation tanks. The Sri Lankan military launched their military operation to capture the area from LTTE on April 25, 2007. The full scale jungle warfare started, and the LTTE was trying to protect their last stronghold in Eastern Sri Lanka. The SLA estimated around 500-700 LTTE cadres were fighting in the area in a network of trenches and tunnels.
During the period of June 8–9, 2007 Sri Lankan army captured 4 LTTE military bases at Ibbanvila, Akkarathivu, Mawadi-ode, and Veppanveli in Pankudavaella North, and Naarakmulla, South of the Thoppigala area. During the confrontation, around 30 LTTE cadres and 1 SLA personnel died. The SLA captured 06 Multi Purpose Machine Guns (MPMG), 21 T-56 assault rifles, 04 Rocket Propeller Grenade (RPG) launchers, and a large quantity of Anti Personnel (AP) mines and Ammunitions
On June 19, 2007 03 LTTE satellite camps East of Narakkamulla in the Thoppigala area were completely destroyed by the SLA. As per military sources around 25-30 LTTE were killed and a large quantity of anti-personnel mines (APM$s) and other military equipment were captured.
Fierce fighting erupted between the LTTE and the SLA at the final forward defence line (FDL) of LTTE, at their Beirut complex in Narakamulla, Thoppigala area between June 22–24, 2007. The FDL was fortified with 6 bunker lines and 3 minor camps. The LTTE did not vacate their positions due to SLA$s heavy barrage of artillery and tank gun fire. Finally, around 50 SLA commando$s infiltrated the LTTE bunkers and killed 30 of them. Three LTTE cadres committed suicide. This series of events turned the tide of the battle of Thoppogala against the LTTE.
After 13 years, the Sri Lankan military captured the final stronghold of the LTTE in the East, Thoppigala (Baron$s Cap), on the morning of July 11, 2007, nearly after a year of military action. According to the country$s military history, the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF), with around 20,000 soldiers attacked this area in the year 1988 but failed to capture the area
