2ND LEAD
SLA shelling blocks ambulances, 2 injured in convoy
[TamilNet, Friday, 02 January 2009, 09:56 GMT]
Two persons who accompanied with the convoy of ambulances from Puthukkudiruppu to Vavuniyaa were wounded when Sri Lanka Army (SLA) fired artillery shells at Mannaaka'ndal Friday morning, shortly after two ambulances left Puthukkudiyiruppu, medical authorities said. Two ambulances with 13 civilians with serious injuries, being transferred from Tharmapuram and Puthukkudiyiruppu hospitals to Vavuniyaa hospital, after getting clearance through the ICRC, were forced to turn back as the SLA stepped up artillery fire on the road.
32-year-old Selvaratnam Geminikanth from Mannar Road, Vavuniyaa and 29-year-old Kandiah Vasanthakumar from Kaiveali, Puthukkudiyiruppu sustained injuries. They were accompanying with the officials of the Government Agent. It was the second time within the past 48 hours that the ambulances were unable to proceed to Vavuniyaa hospital, according to medical authorities. Hospitals have been attacked and the movement of patients in ambulances have been repeatedly blocked in direct contravention to the Fourth Geneva Convention. The hospital in Ki'linochchi town has become totally defunct since Thursday as Sri Lankan forces were approaching the abandoned centre of Vanni.
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