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Lanka on verge of civil war
 Five Muslim civilians were killed in shell attacks in the Sri Lankan town of Muttur yesterday, raising the death toll from clashes between the army and Tamil rebels to 26, a Muslim legislator said. The attack on a school came despite appeals to both the government and Tamil Tiger rebels to hold their fire at least until residents have attended their Friday prayers, government legislator AHM Azwer said.
| UN Secretary General Kofi Annan called for an immediate halt to the latest battles, which erupted 10 days ago when the Tigers cut off a canal supplying water to thousands of families... |
Shells on Thursday slammed into three schools where frightened residents of the majority-Muslim town had taken shelter, killing at least 17 civilians, military officials reported. Two constables and two paramilitary troopers attached to the local police were also killed in the clashes. We were discussing till midnight with the military to ensure that they hold their fire, Azwer said. But, this morning we have the sad news that five more civilians have been killed when two shells hit a school where they sheltered. Politicians from the north-east of the island met with top officials and the military in Colombo to plead for a break in the fighting to allow some 30,000 Muslims trapped in Muttur to conduct Friday prayers. Azwer said the government security forces blamed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for the shelling of civilians while the guerrillas blamed the military. We want both sides to stop, he said.
Military spokesman Upali Rajapakse said sporadic mortar bomb exchanges continued yesterday in Muttur where security forces have been consolidating since repulsing a rebel artillery attack which began on Wednesday. At least 161 people have died in fighting that began on Wednesday last week for control of the Maavilaru irrigation canal in Trincomalee district after the rebels shut sluice gates.
Posted by: Fred 2006-08-05 |
