More families flee LTTE terror

Batticaloa: More families who managed to escape the clutches of the LTTE have arrived in the cleared areas in Batticaloa within the past few days, increasing the total number of people fleeing LTTE terror in the uncleared areas to 31,716, the Media Centre for National Security said yesterday.

Three more families of nine arrived at Pethalai in Valaichchenai around 10 a.m. on Sunday.

The civilians have told the Security Forces that they were from Vakarai and managed to escape the clutches of the LTTE terrorists.

The three families consisted of four men, three women and two girls. They were given refuge at the welfare centres established in Valaichchenai.According to the Media Canter for National Security (MCNS) the total number of people arriving in the areas in the East stands at 31,716 belonging to 8,537 families with the latest arrival.

On Saturday too, 28 families consisting of 20 males, 20 females, 10 boys, and three girls totalling 53 persons arrived from the uncleared areas of Vakarai to the areas under the control of the Security Forces in the Rideetenna area.

The Security Forces believe that another 10,000 to 15,000 people are still living in Vakarai unable to flee the area due to LTTE threats.

The Security Forces, despite provocative Tiger attacks on Security Forces manning defences in Batticaloa, refrained from attacking the LTTE gun positions considering the safety of the civilians who have been forcibly kept by the LTTE in Vakarai.

However, the Security Forces over the week end requested the LTTE cadres in Vakarai to surrender to the Security Forces assuring them of a better life.