A major battle between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (Tamil Tigers, LTTE) and the Sri Lankan Armed Forces takes place in July and August 2006 around the watershed of the Mavil Aru (Mother River) in the Kallar area of Trincomalee district. The Mavil Aru, a tributary of the Mahaweli River, supplies water to 20,000 villagers in the eastern Sri Lanka. The sluice-gates of the waterway are captured and closed by the LTTE, cutting off water supplies and leading to a major operation against them by the Sri Lankan military. The armed forces launch air strikes with the aim of capturing the waterway and sluice-gates, which was achieved on August 11, 2006.
