A lull in fighting around the Safe Zone in Puthukkudiyiruppu was reported yesterday, except for sporadic sniper fire from the LTTE, according to Military Spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara.
He said the situation had remained quiet for the past 48 hours, but the security forces were maintaining a level of high alert, because "the LTTE are known to come up with surprises".
Meanwhile, another batch of some 900 civilians entered the government-controlled side on Friday, bringing the total number to flee the LTTE-held areas to more than 68,000, Brig. Nanayakkara said.
Dr. T. Sathyamoorthy, a government doctor working in the Safe Zone, said during the past 48-hours only sporadic gunfire was heard.
In a related development, some 1,000 wounded, sick and elderly civilians were evacuated on ICRC-flagged vessels. They were later transported to hospitals in Trincomalee and elsewhere. |
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