2008–2009 Sri Lankan Army Northern offensive

The 2008–2009 SLA Northern offensive was an armed conflict in the northern Province of Sri Lanka between the military of Sri Lanka and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The battle broke with the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) offensive attempting to break through the LTTE defence lines in the north of the island, aiming to conclude the country's 25-year-old civil war by military victory.

2008–2009 SLA Northern offensive
Part of the Sri Lankan Civil War, Eelam War IV, Northern Theatre of Eelam War IV
DateJanuary 2008 – May 18, 2009
Location
Northern Province
Result Decisive SLA victory
Territorial
changes
The LTTE loses all of its territory, which is retaken by government forces
Belligerents
Military of Sri Lanka Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
Commanders and leaders
Gen. Sarath Fonseka:
Major General Jagath Jayasuriya
Major General G. A. Chandrasiri
Major General Shavendra Silva
Major General Jagath Dias
Major General Nandana Udawatta
Velupillai Prabhakaran 
Strength
200,000:
53 Division
55 Division
56 Division
57 Division
58 Division
59 Division
61 Division
7,000-17,000
Casualties and losses
3,500+ killed,
16,000 wounded
2,200+ killed in 2008 (LTTE claim)
4,073 killed in 2008 (SLA claim)
2,515 killed in 2009 (SLA claim)
396 civilians killed January–September 2008
20,000-40,000 civilians killed January 2009-May 2009
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