 According to Adele Ann Balasingham, an LTTE operative, "It took exactly 18 days for the several battalions of Sri Lankan army troops, who landed along the Vadamaradchy eastern coast in a massive rescue operation, to reach the besieged Elephant Pass base".To advance the 12-kilometer distance, the Sinhala regiments, backed by heavy armor and air cover, had to engage in fierce clashes with the LTTE and fight for every inch of land.The fighting continued in that area until August 9, when the battered LTTE forces made a tactical withdrawal.