The Eastern Theater of Eelam War IV, the warfare started in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka on July 21, 2006, when the LTTE cut off the water supply to the rice fields in the Mavil aru area in the eastern Trincomalee district. The government military claimed the total control of the Eastern province after capturing the Thoppigala (Baron's cap) on July 11, 2007, after nearly a year of fighting.
The major battles took place at Sampoor, Vakarai, Kanchikudicharu, Kokkadichloai and Thoppigala (Baron's cap). The military and civilian deaths are considerably low on both sides, and the 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 has occurred in resettling them
The LTTE has vowed to attack Sri Lanka's military and economic targets across the country to retaliate the capture of the Eastern province from them. This was stated by the LTTE political-wing leader S.P. Thamilchelvan, in a statement to Associated Press on July 12, 2007, at Killinochchi in northern Sri Lanka.
Beginning of the war
A new crisis leading to the first large-scale fighting since signing of the ceasefire occurred when the LTTE closed the sluice gates of the Mavil Aru (Mavil Oya) reservoir on July 21 and cut the water supply to 15,000 villages in government controlled areas. After the initial negotiations by the SLMM to open the gates failed, the Air Force attacked LTTE positions on July 26, and ground troops began an operation to open the gates. government spokesman, stated that the government remained committed to the cease-fire. Likewise, the LTTE also claimed that they were committed to the ceasefire
The sluice gates were eventually reopened on August 8, with conflicting reports as to who actually opened them. Initially, the SLMM claimed that they managed to persuade the LTTE to lift the waterway blockade conditionally. However a government spokesman said that "utilities can not be used as bargaining tools" by the rebels and the government forces launched fresh attacks on LTTE positions around the reservoir. These attacks prompted condemnation from SLMM Chief of Staff, who stated "(The government does) have the information that the LTTE has made this offer,"... "It is quite obvious they are not interested in water. They are interested in something else." As the battle warmed up, the LTTE claimed that they opened the sluice gates "on humanitarian grounds" although this was disputed by military correspondents, who stated that the water began flowing immediately after the security forces carried out a precise bombing of the Mavil Oya anicut. Eventually, following heavy fighting with the rebels, government troops gained full control of the Mavil Oya reservoir on August 15.
Battle of Muttur and Sampur
The Sri Lankan military gained control the Sampur town of eastern Trincomalee district on September 4, 2006, where the area used by LTTE as an artillery launching pad to attack Trincomalee port. The SLA military offensive began in August 2006 and the area was under LTTE control for years. President Mahinda Rajapaksa announced capturing of Sampur as he addressed the 55th annual conference of the ruling SLFP.
The battle of Sampoor, close to Muttur, lasted nearly a month. The SLA gained control of the area on September 4, 2006, after heavy fighting.
Battle of Vakarai
The Sri Lankan military announced that the capture of Vakarai, a coastal town of eastern Batticaloa district on January 19, 2007, the military has accused the LTTE of using civilians in the Vakarai hospital as a human shield and also using the hospital premises as an artillery launching pad.
The SLA's battle to take Vakarai (Vaakare) lasted nearly 3 months from October 30, 2006, to January 15, 2007. Vakarai (Vaakare) is a coastal city in the Batticaloa (Madakalapuva) district where the LTTE had clamped their own civil administration and police for some time.
As per Sri Lankan military sources, the military operation launched to gain the area of Vakarai from LTTE was conducted in two phases. The first phase was to facilitate the movement of civilians into the area under the Sri Lankan army (SLA). The Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) of the SLA infiltrated the area under the LTTE, and launched surprise attacks on them. This tactic caused the LTTE to engage with the SLA instead of holding the civilians (hostages) from fleeing into the SLA control zone.