Four Four Bravo ambush

Four Four Bravo was the call sign of a fifteen-man Sri Lankan Army patrol, deployed in the Jaffna Peninsula on July 23, 1983. The patrol was ambushed and thirteen of its members were killed by the LTTE. This incident sparked the Thirunelveli massacre and the Black July riots and is considered to be the start of the Sri Lankan Civil War.

Four Four Bravo ambush
Part of Sri Lankan Civil War
DateJuly 23, 1983
Location
Thirunelveli, Jaffna Peninsula
Result

Successful LTTE ambush

  • Thirunelveli massacre
  • Beginning of Black July and Sri Lankan Civil War
Belligerents
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam

Sri Lanka Army

  • Sri Lanka Light Infantry
Commanders and leaders
Velupillai Prabhakaran
Lt. Sellakili †		 Brig J. G. Balthazar,
2nd Lt Vaas Gunawardene †
Strength
25 15
Casualties and losses
1 (Lt. Sellakili) 1 officer & 12 soldiers died, 2 injured
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