(4th update – pictures, video added) Beginning of Bloodbath by Sri Lankan State Terrorists in so called “Safe Zone”; The evil of war: more than 1500 died, 3500 injured in a day

Monday’s SLA attack targeting civilian areas using cluster bombs, gas bombs and heavy weapons was planned to inflict more damage to people and force evict them in to army controlled areas. On Monday’s indiscriminate attack on civilian areas more than 1500 feared dead and 3500 or more injured, including hundreds of children.

• 1500 died and more than 3500 severely injured
• Mathalan SLA pushed back to safeguard innocent civilians
• Used Chemical weapons
• Used Cluster ammunitions
• Used Phosphorous bombs
• Bodies are scattered all over
• Urgent Need of blood, no one is able to donate due to malnutrition
• SLA planning to do another operation soon

The Sri Lanka Army that took hostages  of around 1500 people who left for government controlled areas on the previous night and using them as human shields moved in to safe zone in the cover of the darkness by around 2:00 AM on Monday. The shelling was intensified by then and they were firing cluster bombs, gas bombs and phosphorous bombs inside civilian areas. 

Reporter speaking to us said the gas bombs emanate white smoke that creates nausea. After smoking that people were fainted for more than one and a half hours. People suspect the purpose of this bomb is to capture people alive and to take hostage of them to proof people are forcibly detained by LTTE and they have freed them.

Our reporter describing the scene after the army offensive said ‘horrendous’, bodies are strewn everywhere, painful voices of the injured and sense of frustration everywhere. Only few of the injured were taken to a make shift hospital. The hospital also was hit by RPG attack and almost defunct. The hospital is in urgent need blood, people there are unable to donate blood since most of them are affected by malnutrition. The hospital cannot accomodate such a large number of injured. Already ICRC reported that the Doctors there are really worn out. “They are working for months now without any break, they work day and night. And medical supplies are lacking,” ICRC Chief, Castella said.

In the initial army thrust in to the safe zone in Maththalan, army was firing indiscriminately with heavy weapons; many hundreds died and the bodies are still lying along the road. Nearly 8000 civilians were taken in to army custody in Maththalan area.

By Monday afternoon, SLA troops were pushed back from Maththalan civilian areas that it had boxed earlier in the day. However, civilians fear for similar attacks to continue in the forthcoming days too, unless international community take some solid action to control the war.