2ND LEAD

SLAF attacks paddy fields again, civilian wounded

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 July 2008, 06:25 GMT]
A 24-year-old man, father of two, was wounded Tuesday morning when two Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers attacked Kugnchup-paranthan and the adjacent paddy fields along Paranthan - Poonakari (Pooneryn) road. TamilNet correspondent who visited the attack site said that the bombardment has caused extensive damage to the agricultural lands in the 5th canal. The road was also damaged in the attack. The SLAF bombers came again in the afternoon and attacked the same area with deep bombs leaving large craters.

The first attack was reported at 10:05 a.m. and the second at 1:20 p.m.

5th Canal Overseer Junction is located 175 meters near the attack site. Paranthan Hindu Viththiyalayam school is located 3 km away from the attack site. 550 students at the school were forced to seek refuge in bunkers during the first attack.

The wounded person was identified as Sellaththurai Kamal by the residents in the area. The SLAF fighter jets dropped bombs while he was watering his paddy field. Medical sources at Ki'linochchi hospital said the doctors were struggling to avoid amputation of his left leg as he was badly wounded below the knee.

Kugnchupparanthan is located 8.2 km northwest of Ki'linochchi town.

Also on Monday, SLAF bombers targeted the Iyakkachchi village, 15 km southeast of Mukamaalai. A 50-year-old father of five was wounded in his stomach. He was staying at his house to look after the belongings after many of the villagers had displaced from the area due to SLA shelling. The SLA launched artillery barrage after the air raid on Iyakkachchi.