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Navy all set to evacuate Lankan troops

Josy Joseph in New Delhi

The Indian Navy will take two or three days to begin evacuating the 28,000 Sri Lankan troops trapped in the Jaffna peninsula in case the island nation approaches India with such a request, a senior naval officer said on Tuesday. "We are ready to meet such an eventuality," he asserted, even as the Cabinet Committee on Security met for the second consecutive day today.

The CCS meeting, which was not attended by the three service chiefs, reviewed the latest situation in Sri Lanka. No formal decision was taken, but the CCS discussed the various options available.

Defence Minister George Fernandes, who is in Bangalore, is also expected to review the situation. He will be briefed by the three service chiefs on the fighting between the Lankan forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam for Jaffna.

In New Delhi, the naval officer said the entire Eastern Fleet of the navy will be involved if an evacuation operation is ordered. "But we will have to hire some merchant vessels too," he said. There are about 28,000 Lankan troops trapped in the Jaffna peninsula.

The evacuation will be carried out in close co-ordination with the Indian Air Force, as aerial evacuation can drastically reduce the time taken for the operation.

"We will require two or three days to begin evacuation," the senior officer said. "The navy is ready. We are in a state of high alert. The moment Sri Lanka formally requests the government, and the order is passed, we will begin the work," he said.

But the navy will carry out the evacuation only if certain ground rules are adhered to, he said, foremost among them being that the LTTE will have to agree to a "no-fire" situation.

Another important condition for carrying out an evacuation from the Jaffna peninusla is that the Kankesanthurai harbour has to remain open. It is the closest port to the Indian peninsula.

Intelligence reports reaching New Delhi continue to paint a grim picture of the situation in Jaffna. "The LTTE could walk over the city any moment now," a senior intelligence officer said.

EARLIER REPORT: India seriously considers evacuation of Lankan troops from Jaffna

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