International   

5,100 civilians rescued: Colombo

COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan Air Force on Saturday said its fighter jets destroyed a hideout of Sea Tiger chief Soosai located one km northeast of Puthukudduyiruppu junction and maintained that he could either have been killed or wounded in the attack.

Air Force spokesperson Janaka Nanayakkara said 11 LTTE cadre including a very senior LTTE leader were killed in the attack. He said the initial strike was to destroy an underground bunker and a “luxury house” of Soosai. It was followed with another on observation that the Tiger cadre were making a desperate attempt to dig out the location with three earth moving vehicles.

Meanwhile, amid continued fighting in small pockets of Mullathivu district, the military said 5,100 civilians trapped in the LTTE held territory had been rescued.

The Defence Ministry said the civilians had sought refuge with the soldiers deployed in the Dharmapuram, Visuamadu and Kuppilankuam areas. “The army offensive elements continue to manoeuvre with tact and care to the remaining LTTE hiding areas in Wanni providing more escape routes to the civilians under the terror clutches,” it said.

Separately, in an interview to the state run Daily News Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has alleged that the LTTE cadre have infiltrated UN and INGO’s and international media organisations and launched “an orchestrated campaign” to pressure the government to declare a ceasefire in the name of humanitarian crisis. He complained that it was unfortunate that spokesmen of these organisations “hide most important facts” when commenting on the plight of civilians in Wanni.

“The government has demarcated an area equal to half the total area still to be cleared as a no fire zone and it is the LTTE that is keeping the civilians by force without allowing them to enter that zone. This is the main factor which the spokespersons hide.”

Charging a section of the INGOs and media with disseminating false information, he said the figures of the trapped in the LTTE zone were highly inflated.

According to the Census of 2002, there was only a population of 2,08,000 in the Mullathivu district and over 60,000 of them are now living in Colombo. A similar number resides in areas such as Vavuniya, Anuradhapura and the Central Province. “The actual number of civilians trapped in the Wanni is less than 1,00,000.”

Tthe pro-LTTE TamilNet charged the Air Force with bombing Ponnampalam Memorial hospital in Puthukkudiyiruppu (PTK), killing scores and wounding many.

“The Sri Lanka Army launched indiscriminate artillery barrage on the hospital, totally disabling the rescue of the surviving patients. Initial reports said 40 patients warded there were killed, but latest reports put the casualty figure at 60, which is yet to be verified by the hospital authorities.” It also claimed the LTTE cadre “this week” seized an arms storage from the Army in Puthukkudiyiruppu (PTK).

Stories in this Section

5,100 civilians rescued: Colombo
Devolution package: Bogollagama
Israel seeks Shalit’s release
Doctor of Indian origin convicted of manslaughter
‘U.S. for long-term ties with Pakistan’
U.S. will talk but ready to act, Iran told
Global dismay at A.Q. Khan release
Key post for Rathod
Arms looted from police post

Copyright © 2009, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu