SLA attacks kill 128 civilians in 48 hours

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 March 2009, 01:34 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army short-range mortar shelling, Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) attacks and gunfire killed 96 civilians, including 19 children within the 'safety zone' Monday. 32 civilians, including 7 children were killed Sunday, according to local aid workers and medical authorities. Around 160 civilians sustained injuries on Monday when Sri Lanka Army stepped up mortar fire, RPG attacks and opened fire from the other side of the lagoon into Puthumaaththa'lan within the 'safety zone'. Increased and systematic attacks on civilians during the day time was targeting to evict civilians from the so-called safety zone, said TamilNet correspondent who visited the site of the carnage.

9 civilians were killed near the makeshift-hospital in Puthumaaththa'lan around 4:00 p.m. Monday. The shells hit the area 400 meters away, behind the hospital.

3 shells that hit Pokka'nai area claimed the lives of 16 civilians.

The RPG fire targeted moving vehicles while mortar shells hit areas where the civilians didn't have enough bunkers, according to the reports.

Most of the casualties were reported in Maaththa'lan area.

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