Over 250 fleeing Tigers reach safe zone

RAFIK JALALDEEN

Nearly 264 civilians fleeing the LTTE grip in Puthukudiyiruppu had reached the safe zone in Visuamadu yesterday morning.

Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said 264 civilians including women and children had reached Visuamadu fleeing the LTTE in Puthukudiyiruppu. “These civilians who had faced LTTE hardship had arrived in the safe zone seeking protection with security forces,” he added.

Brigadier Nanayakkara said the number of civilians fleeing the LTTE grip was increasing daily in the Mullaitivu district.

“The LTTE is using civilians as a human shield to slow down troops advancing to liberate the last area of the LTTE territory in Mullaitivu. However, civilians are reaching the safe zone by taking safe passages declared by the Security Forces amid Tiger atrocities,” Brigadier Nanayakkara told the Daily News.

According to military sources, civilians undergoing unprecedented hardships in the Vanni said the LTTE was dragging civilians to the battlefield to man their defence lines.