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“LTTE is forcibly recruiting children”

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s Air Force (SLAF) on Saturday claimed to have launched “precision air sorties at an identified LTTE bunker line” south of Thunukkai in Mullaithivu in the north of the country amid continued fighting between the forces and the LTTE.

“A bulldozer was confirmed destroyed and few other heavy machinery damaged in the air raid,” said spokesperson Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara. He said LTTE cadres were engaged in “heavy construction work” at the site at the time of the attack.

Separately, the military reported further exodus of civilians from LTTE-controlled areas in Mullaithivu. In recent weeks, there has been a steady flow of civilians into government areas, it said.

The military maintained the civilians were leaving the LTTE-controlled areas to escape from the “clutches of the LTTE.” The Defence Ministry has claimed in the wake of setbacks on the battlefront and loss of large number of its cadre, the LTTE has stepped up conscription of underage children.

According to the Army Chief, Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka, the LTTE has lost over 9,000 cadres since hostilities broke out in August 2006. As per the intelligence estimates, currently the cadre strength of LTTE is estimated at 5,000.

“All the civilians were from Puthumathalan locality, north of Puthukkudiyiruppu, who were said to have undergone continuous harassments and hardships by the LTTE. They are continuing forcible conscription of both men and children to the outfit and child recruitment has increased over the recent weeks,” said the Defence Ministry.

“What we hear in the non-liberated areas is a looming humanitarian catastrophe. This may be even tragic than our speculations made, as the LTTE is been constantly driven back by the security forces into the jungles of Mullaithivu,” said the Defence Ministry .

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