Two soldiers killed and eight injured

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 March 1999, 05:03 GMT]
One Lieutenant and a soldier were killed, and eight soldiers including an officer were injured last night when the 'Jana Gosha' troops came under attack from the LTTE, sources said.

SLA sources said that the fighting between the Jana Gosha troops and the LTTE continued throughout the night.

Sources in Vanni said that 3250 families were displaced from Moondrumurippu area as a result of Jana Gosha operation and have sought refuge at school buildings in Yogapuram, Vanivilankulam and Thunukkai.

People in Kidaaipidiththakulam, and Pandiyankulam areas are leaving for safer areas to escape the continuous artillery fire of the SLA who are based at Mankulam, sources further said.

Meanwhile government officials in Vavuniya said that 8000 civilians are living in their own houses in the newly captured areas of Irani Iluppaikulam and 500 refugees are provided accommodation in two welfare centres at Sinna Valayankaddu and Periya Valayankaddu in the area.

These refugees were displaced from Moondrumurippu area where the SLA have set up their forward defence lines.

Officials added that these refugees and the people living in the newly captured areas are looked after by 6 Grama Sevaka Officers, who belong to Vavuniya and Mannar districts.

Officials also said that steps have been taken to send 60 civilians to their own places in Iranai Iluppaikulam, who are stranded in Vavuniya when they came to the town to buy their necessities before the Jana Gosha operation was launched March 6.