At the beginning of 1992, the Sri Lankan army had toe-holds in the Jaffna peninsula at the following points:

in the west, on the four islands in the Palk Strait that had come under control of the army in October 1991 (India Today 31 July 1992, 3; The Sri Lanka Monitor Mar. 1993, 1).

in the south, Elephant Pass at the neck of the peninsula, which had fallen to the army in July/August 1991 in a military operation called "Balavegaya One" (Sri Lanka: Chronology of Events 1991 1992, 6-9; Xinhua 19 Mar. 1993; UPI 28 Aug. 1992).

in the north, an air field at Palaly and a naval base at Kankesanturai (The Sri Lanka Monitor Jan. 1992, 2).

In addition to these areas, the army also controlled Pooneryn (AFP 26 Sept. 1992) and the ferry crossing at Sangupiddy (The Sri Lanka Monitor Nov. 1991, 1) on the southern side of the Jaffna Lagoon.

The army's operations in the Jaffna peninsula were focused on two areas in 1992 in the north and at the neck of the peninsula in the south. In the north, the army captured the Tiger base at Madagal in August (BBC Summary 28 Aug. 1992; UPI 28 Aug. 1992). It also pushed out from its bases at Palaly and Kankesanturai and took the town of Tellippalai in May (The Sri Lanka Monitor May 1992, 2; India Today 31 July 1992, 3). The army also controlled Idaikadu, which was attacked by the LTTE in November 1992 (The Sri Lanka Monitor Nov. 1992, 2; Xinhua 24 Nov. 1992). In July the chief of the joint operations of the Sri Lankan troops claimed that the army was in control of a 78 km2 area beyond Palaly (India Today 31 July 1992, 4), but another source reported that in August the army controlled a 20 km2 area in the northwest of the peninsula (The Sri Lanka Monitor Oct. 1992, 3).

In the south, Operation Balavegaya established a beachhead at Vettilaikerni to supply the army at the Elephant Pass camp (Sri Lanka: Chronology of Events 1991 1992, 6-9; Xinhua 19 Mar. 1993; UPI 28 Aug. 1992). On 28 June 1992 the army took control of the seven kilometre stretch of road between Vettilaikerni and Elephant Pass (The Sri Lanka Monitor June 1992, 1). The June offensive also included taking control of Chundikulam, thereby shutting off the exit route through the neck of the peninsula (Ibid.). In July the town of Iyakachchi, near Elephant Pass, also fell under army control (India Today 31 July 1992; AFP 10 July 1992). In August 1992 the army's defense lines at Periyapachchaipallai, also near Elephant Pass, came under attack from LTTE fighters (UPI 28 Aug. 1992). The army had declared the land route through Elephant Pass open but the LTTE would not allow traffic to move along it (Inter Press Service, 10 Mar. 1992).

Also in the south of the peninsula, the army took control of the Jaffna Lagoon. Since taking control of the ferry crossing at Sangupiddy and Pooneryn in 1991, the army had cut off the main water route into the peninsula. In October 1992, in an effort to force traffic to be routed through Elephant Pass, Sri Lankan forces declared the Jaffna Lagoon a no-go zone (AFP 13 Feb. 1993), but Tamils continued to cross the lagoon even when Sri Lankan forces attacked them (The Sri Lanka Monitor Oct. 1992, 3). Additional or corroborative information on the above topic is currently unavailable to the DIRB.

Agence France Presse (AFP). 13 February 1993. "Air Attacks Injure 12 Civilians in Northern Sri Lanka." (NEXIS)

. 26 September 1992. "Fierce Battles in Sri Lanka's Northeast, 45 Dead." (NEXIS)

. 10 July 1992. "Heavy Fighting in Sri Lanka Leaves 266 Dead." (NEXIS)

BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 28 August 1992. "Sri Lankan Army Launches Operation Around Jaffna." (NEXIS)

India Today. 31 July 1992. "LTTE Pushed Into a Corner."

Inter Press Service. 10 March 1992. Rita Sebastian. "Sri Lanka: Military Ready to Attack Jaffna, Colombo Cautious." (NEXIS)

Sri Lanka: Chronology of Events 1991. 1992. Compiled by Anton S. Philip. Oslo: Sri Lanka Resource Centre.

The Sri Lanka Monitor [London]. March 1993. "Safe Passage from Jaffna."

. November 1992. "The Spoils of War. "

. October 1992. "Jaffna Fights for its Life; The Killers of Kilali."

. June 1992. "The Battle for Jaffna."

. May 1992. "The Fall of Tellippalai."

. January 1992. "Nowhere to Run."

. November 1991. "State of Seige."

The United Press International (UPI). 28 August 1992. BC Cycle. "Fresh Fighting Leaves at Least 9 Dead in Sri Lanka." (NEXIS)

The Xinhua General Overseas News Service. 19 March 1993. "Rebel Build-up Reported in Northern Sri Lanka." (NEXIS)

. 24 November 1992. "42 Tamil Rebels, 27 Soldiers Killed in Northern Sri Lanka." (NEXIS)

Agence France Presse (AFP). 13 February 1993. "Air Attacks Injure 12 Civilians in Northern Sri Lanka." (NEXIS)

. 26 September 1992. "Fierce Battles in Sri Lanka's Northeast, 45 Dead." (NEXIS)

. 10 July 1992. "Heavy Fighting in Sri Lanka Leaves 266 Dead." (NEXIS)

BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 28 August 1992. "Sri Lankan Army Launches Operation Around Jaffna." (NEXIS)

India Today. 31 July 1992. "LTTE Pushed Into a Corner," pp. 3-4.

Inter Press Service. 10 March 1992. Rita Sebastian. "Sri Lanka: Military Ready to Attack Jaffna, Colombo Cautious." (NEXIS)

Sri Lanka: Chronology of Events 1991. 1992. Compiled by Anton S. Philip. Oslo: Sri Lanka Resource Centre. pp. 6-9.

The Sri Lanka Monitor [London]. March 1993. "Safe Passage from Jaffna," p. 1.

. November 1992. "The Spoils of War," p. 2.

. October 1992. "Jaffna Fights for its Life; The Killers of Kilali," p. 3.

. June 1992. "The Battle for Jaffna," p. 1.

. May 1992. "The Fall of Tellippalai," p. 2.

. January 1992. "Nowhere to Run," p. 2.

. November 1991. "State of Seige," p. 1.

The United Press International (UPI). 28 August 1992. BC Cycle. "Fresh Fighting Leaves at Least 9 Dead in Sri Lanka." (NEXIS)

The Xinhua General Overseas News Service. 19 March 1993. "Rebel Build-up Reported in Northern Sri Lanka." (NEXIS)

. 24 November 1992. "42 Tamil Rebels, 27 Soldiers Killed in Northern Sri Lanka." (NEXIS)