2ND LEAD

SLA shelling injures 5 civilians, damage 10 houses

[TamilNet, Saturday, 26 August 2006, 20:44 GMT]
Five civilians, including a 10-year old and a 11-year-old children were injured and at least 10 houses were damaged when Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers fired shells from Valaichenai and Komanthurai camps towards LTTE held western hinterlands of Batticaloa, Saturday evening.

The villages of Chenkaladi, Illuppaiyadichenai, Thampanamveli, Koduvamadu, and Pankudaveli were hit by shells fired by the SLA, between 5 and 7 p.m, civilian sources said.

Veerasegaram Biruntha, 10, and Kavimathy Vadivel, 28, from Iluppaiaydi were rushed to Batticaloa Hospital.

M. Pathmanathan, 11, S. Sharmila, 16, and K. Ramalingam, 26, from Senkalady Black-Bridge area, were rushed to Senkalady hospital.

Large number of civilians in LTTE held border villages fled to Koolavadu and Irakkulam, the sources said.

Civilians from Thampanamveli, Koduwamadu and Pankudaveli sought refuge at Ayithiyamalai School and the people of Navatkadu and Eeachanthivu gathered at Mahilathivu Government School.

Civilians use to flee towards these schools during the nights as the SLA's 23-3 Brigade Camp in Paper-Factory camp in Valaichenai and Kommanthurai SLA camp have been hitting civilian areas in the above villages.

Meanwhile, Kandiah Sinnathamby, 50, father of three, was wounded Saturday afternoon around 1:00 p.m. while he was preparing for fishing at Mankerny sea. Police said the SLA soldiers in Mankerny fired in retaliation to an attack on them.

The wounded fisherman, Mr. Kandiah Sinnathamby, was rushed to Valalichenai hospital.