▁Regional ▁Agricult ure ▁Research ▁and ▁Development ▁Centre ▁and ▁the ▁District ▁Training ▁Centre ▁of ▁Department ▁of ▁Agricult ure ▁in ▁Kil ino ch chi . ▁ ▁In ▁October ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁as ▁the ▁Sri ▁L ank an ▁military ▁launched ▁a ▁military ▁off ensive ▁to ▁re capt ure ▁the ▁J aff na ▁pen ins ula , ▁virt ually ▁the ▁entire ▁population ▁of ▁the ▁Val ik am am ▁region ▁fled ▁to ▁other ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁pen ins ula ▁and ▁the ▁V anni . ▁The ▁university ▁administration ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁Fac ulty ▁of ▁Agricult ure ▁in ▁Kil ino ch chi . ▁Most ▁of ▁the ▁equipment ▁and ▁furn iture ▁at ▁Th ir un el v ely ▁was ▁lost ▁during ▁the ▁absence . ▁The ▁university ' s ▁administration ▁returned ▁to ▁Th ir un el v ely ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁after ▁the ▁military ▁had ▁re capt ured ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁pen ins ula ▁including ▁J aff na ▁city . ▁The ▁es cal ation ▁of ▁host ilities ▁in ▁the ▁V anni ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁caused ▁severe ▁dis ruption ▁to ▁the ▁Fac ulty ▁of ▁Agricult ure ▁which ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁move ▁several ▁times . ▁The ▁University ▁Council ▁decided ▁to ▁move ▁the ▁fac ulty . ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁studies ▁re - com men ced ▁at ▁the ▁fac ulty ' s ▁new ▁prem ises ▁in ▁J aff na . ▁ ▁A ▁gaz ette ▁was ▁issued ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁March ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁upgrad ing ▁the ▁Northern ▁Province ▁Aff