Sri Lankan Military: 100,000 Civilians Have Fled War Zone
By VOA News
23 April 2009
Sri Lanka's military says it is involved in the world's largest rescue operation as it tries to free civilians trapped in the battle with Tamil Tiger rebels.
The Defense Ministry said Thursday that more than 100,000 civilians had escaped the war zone since the beginning of the week. The government says major efforts are underway to provide shelter and medical care for the refugees.
There are still concerns for the civilians that remain stuck in the shrinking war zone as the military continues what it hopes is its final assault on the rebels. The army says the rebels are confined to an area in the country's northeast that is just 13 square kilometers in size.
In New York late Wednesday, the U.N. Security Council urged the government in Colombo to protect civilians. It also called on Tamil Tiger rebels not to use them as human shields.
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has ruled out an amnesty for top Tamil Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran.
Mr. Rajapaksa says that if Prabhakaran is captured alive, he will face the consequences of his acts. Two senior rebels surrendered to authorities Wednesday.
The Tamil Tiger rebels have been fighting for 26 years to create an independent homeland for Sri Lanka's Tamil minority in the north and east of the country. Tens of thousands of people have been killed in their violent campaign.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
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