287 civilians killed within 16 hours of truce

The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) launched a heavy barrage of artillery strikes and gunfire on the Tamil civilians in the “safety zone” in Puthukkudiyiruppu around 12:15 a.m. The offensive, contradicting the announcement by the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, comes a day after a similar move was reported in the early hours of Sunday.

According to the correspondent in Vanni, the shells and gunfire killed at least 287 civilians within the last 16 hours from 12:15 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. Monday. Further 346 civilians were severely wounded inside the so-called “safety zone”. Most of the civilian casualties have been reported within Valaignarmadam and Mulliivaaykkaal.

SF troopers’ indiscriminate aerial and shell attacks killed hundreds and many hundreds injured within past few months while displaced over 300,000 including 40,000 children who are living in subhuman conditions. UNHRC statement last week said, at least 2800 civilians were killed and over 7000 injured within past two months of shelling in the war zone in Vanni. Also, UNICEF said, hundreds of children were killed thousands more were injured within past two months.