Lanka govt: 1,000 civilians flee LTTE area

Colombo, May 11: Over 1,000 Tamil civilians broke out from LTTE clutches in the northern conflict zone today, the Sri Lankan government said and claimed that the Tigers fired on the fleeing people "killing or injuring" around 250.
Over 1,000 civilians broke out of the "conflict zone at the Mullaittivu-end in the last over 24 hours, ending noon today," the the Presidential Secretariat said in a statement quoting defence sources.

"The LTTE sentries, initially overwhelmed, recovered and opened fire on the fleeing civilians," it said. "The sentries were then heard on intercepted radio communications calling the LTTE command centre for reinforcements." The LTTE responded with mortar fire which fell within the conflict zone, according to the statement. "Around 250 were injured or killed due a combination of fire opened by LTTE sentries and mortar fire," the defence sources claimed.

However, more than 1,000 Tamil civilians managed to make it to safety, the statement said.

"The doctors in the conflict zone were heard on intercepted communications saying that they had no facilities to treat the badly wounded numbering about 250," it said.

The statement also clarified on the statement of a health official reportedly in the Tiger-controlled area having said that 378 civilians have been killed in army shelling.

"Sources in Colombo said that the health official is in no position to give an independent account as he is virtually another captive of the Tigers," the release said. PTI