The rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam first built an airstrip in Iranamadu in the early 1990s.

In 1993 they started clearing land south east of the Iranamadu Tank and over the next two years constructed a runway which was opened by LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran on 19 March 1995.

[1][2] In late 2003, during the Norwegian facilitated ceasefire, the LTTE started clearing land at another site, east of Iranamadu Tank.

[1] The air force bombed the airstrip several times, indulging in June 2006 after the Kebithigollewa massacre.

[10][11] The airstrip was then converted into an airport with a 1,500 m (4,900 ft) runway capable of handling the air force's Lockheed C-130 Hercules and Antonov An-32 aircraft.