Paradise Afire

In April 1995, the LTTE resumed the war by launching a surprise attack against the Sri Lankan Navy at Trincomalee, thus opening the third phase – the so-called Eelam War III – of the decades-long Sri Lankan civil war. From 1995 to 2002, both sides battled mercilessly against each other, both on land and sea, where the LTTE naval wing, the infamous Sea Tigers, managed to keep at bay the Sri Lankan Navy in the country’s northern waters whilst securing the last leg of the maritime routes connecting the LTTE-held areas with the outside world.

However, the war began with a crushing blow for the insurgents with their loss of the Jaffna Peninsula. Thereafter, the sides traded massive blows with in northern Sri Lanka, and each won spectacular victories and suffered massive defeats. In early 2000, the LTTE managed to stun the world by capturing the crucial Elephant Pass, despite it being held by a full Sri Lankan division, thus winning its greatest victory ever. However, by this stage, both sides were exhausted and a fresh round of negotiations ended with a new cease-fire on 22 February 2002.

This volume provides a detailed overview not only of the series of large-scale battles and campaigns fought by the two enemies, but also of their organisation, tactics and equipment.