During the Sri Lankan Civil War, the Muhamalai Forward Defence Line was the Army Defence Line separating the Sri Lankan Army and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) militia in North Central Kilinochchi from South Central Jaffna.

For several years the line was the most active front in the Sri Lankan Civil War, but throughout hundreds of battles the defence positions hardly moved either way.

In almost all cases, the side trying to overrun enemy defence lines suffered heavy casualties.

the SLA tried several times to break through the Kilali-Muhamalai-Nagarkovil defence line and reach Elephant Pass, the gateway to the Vanni, but every time it had to retreat, suffering heavy losses in men and material (especially armoured carriers and tanks).

The Tigers typically avoided man-to-man fighting in this narrow area so as not to get trapped themselves, but used long-distance weapons like mortars and artillery.