17.05.2007

ICRC representatives at the Omanthai entry/exit point at Vavuniya withdrew amid heavy mortar shelling by the LTTE terrorists this morning (17). According to the defence sources in Vavuniya the terrorists has lunched intermittent mortar attacks since early this morning. Due to this reason, the entry exit point has been temporary closed down for the civilian traffic. Consequently, the two bodies of the LTTE cadres that had been handed over to the ICRC yesterday (16) could not be sent to the un-cleared area.

Meanwhile, the Civilian sources said that the LTTE leadership had deliberately attacked the entry exit point, aiming its immediate closure. Thereby, the LTTE intends to prevent civilians coming into liberated areas. The sources further said that the terror outfit is suffering from a sever manpower shortage as the civilians no longer heed its orders.

"It is not like in Vakarai, where thousands of civilians held as a human shield, In Wanni, Prabhakarn want to see all of us dying in the battlefield before he does" a youth recently escaped to the liberated areas told our correspondent.

Separately, in Mannar the LTTE terrorist launched mortar fire at the Ulliyankulam entry-exit point at 6:15 a.m. The Media Center for National Security said that 14 terrorists have been killed and 12 others injured since Wednesday (16) during clashes with the security forces.

The LTTE terrorists had crafted a similar human catastrophe in the East last year before SL security forces liberated the area. However, the civilians in the east today live free from terror clutches and expect better living standards that swiftly coming towards them in government's resettlement programs.