5TH LEAD

DPU Claymore kills 9 fleeing civilians in Mannaar

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 September 2007, 07:09 GMT]
Nine civilians fleeing from a Sri Lanka Army offensive towards Chilaavaththu'rai in Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) controlled territory in Musali, Mannaar, were killed and six including children wounded in a Claymore attack carried out by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) Saturday at 8:35 a.m. Two ambulances sent from Mannaar hospital to transport the wounded were blocked at Chi'rukka'ndal SLA camp. It has taken more than 6 hours to transport the wounded towards Mannaar hospital through a separate route via Achchangku'lam, medical sources said.



15 civilians were fleeing in a van from a fresh offensive operation begun by the SLA from Murungkan towards Chilavaththu'rai.

The attack took place at Paasiththen'ral.

3 children were among the wounded.

Two of the wounded, admitted at Mannaar hospital, were identified as Barathy Harishchandran, 29, with severe injuries to her leg, and 10-year-old Balamayooran Sebastiampillai. Four wounded were admitted at Murungkan hospital.

7 dead bodies were lying on the spot, according to the information provided by the fleeing civilians. One dead body is kept at Chilaavattu'rai hospital.

Meanwhile, military sources in Colombo said a soldier was killed in the offensive Saturday morning.

According to the military, the operation was a "humanitarin operation" in Chilavaththu'rai to "liberate civilians from LTTE clutches".

Hundreds of civilians have fled towards Arippu church seeking safety.



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