April 5,2008:
Sri Lanka has asked Pakistan to quickly ship them $25 million worth of
mortar shells. The Sri Lankan Army has been increasing the number of attacks it
makes on LTTE rebel gunmen in the northern part of the island. Troops have
developed effective tactics that depend a lot on mortar fire. This has depleted
stocks of mortar shells. Pakistan has been a source of 60mm, 81mm and 120mm
mortar shells for several years. So far, Sri Lanka has purchased $50 million
worth of military gear from Pakistan (including radios, grenades, and a few
other items, but mostly mortar shells). The new order is for $25 million, and
Pakistan is taking the ammo from its war reserves so that it can ship several
tons of shells immediately. Pakistan is eager to support the Sri Lankan
government because of long term hostility between Sri Lanka and India. That's
partly because the LTTE rebels are a Tamil minority, originally from southern
India. Thus many Indians support the rebels. Pakistan and India have long been
at odds over territorial and religious disputes.