As far back as 1760 the Portuguese built a fort, which was later rebuilt and garrisoned by the Dutch in 1776[1] and later by the British.
This base was expanded, and troops garrisoning it increased during the 1980s with the outset of terrorist activity in Jaffna Peninsula and the start of the Sri Lankan Civil War.
That month the First Battle of Elephant Pass took place for the control of the base and the area around it.
That year the Second Battle of Elephant Pass was fought, in which the army was forced to withdraw from the base.
Before the troops withdrew they destroyed much of the base, including its communication tower, to prevent it from falling into enemy hands.