Security forces and Tiger guerrillas continued to exchange fire in the narrow strip of the Mullaitivu coastal area, as the flow of civilians from the area came to a standstill yesterday.
Both, the military and officials in the LTTE controlled coastal area confirmed that fighting was continuing between the two sides.
Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara told The Sunday Times that security forces have slowed down their operations aimed at capturing the last few areas held by Tiger guerrillas taking into consideration the presence of civilians in the area.
He said troops were continuing their movement into the narrow strip which the Tiger guerrillas were holding on to.
Brig. Nanayakkara said that civilians had not come out of the area during the day.
Dr. Thiyagaraja Sathiyamoorthy based in Mullivaikal, within the ‘no fire zone’ said that there was an exchange of fire and two air raids in the area.
He said that in a makeshift hospital in the area there were at least 1,200 injured and ill persons who needed urgent medical attention.
He said on Thursday and Friday 1,100 ill and injured persons were evacuated by an ICRC ship to Pulmoddai.
Dr. Sathiyamoorthy said that there was a severe shortage of medicines and food in the area as the food ship which was scheduled to come this week did not arrive.
Another senior Government official remaining in the LTTE area said that the last shipment of food arrived on April 2 and now there was shortage of milk food and medicines.
He confirmed that the civilians were now in a narrow strip of land 8 kilometres long and 1.5 kilometres wide and added that they were moving further southwards. |
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