40 civilians feared killed, 100 wounded in SLA shelling

[TamilNet, Sunday, 13 August 2006, 15:26 GMT]
At least 15 persons were killed and 20 severely wounded when rockets and artillery shells fired from Palaly military base hit St. Phililp Mary Church in Allaipiddy, Sunday morning, where civilians had sought refuge. Ambulances dispatched from Jaffna hospital Sunday evening brought the wounded to the hospital. 37 wounded civilians were rushed to Jaffna hospital from other areas, Allaipiddy, Mankumban and Mandaithivu. Meanwhile, SLA soldiers resumed firing rockets from a Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) from Duraiappa stadium in Jaffna town, Sunday evening, sources said.

Three of the wounded civilians succumbed to the wounds while they were being taken to Jaffna hospital.

54 wounded persons were being treated at the hospital, 4 dead bodies are lying at the hospital mortuary.

Sri Lanka Red Cross (SLRC) sources in Jaffna said the civilan casualties could be around 40 in Jaffna islets. Around 100 civilians were wounded according to initial reports.

The shelling from Sri Lanka Army (SLA) base in Palaly were continuing as the SLRC ambulances were bringing the wounded to Jaffna hospital.

Many of the wounded had severe blood loss, medical souces said.

The wounded were lying without medical help and transport facilities from morning till 7:00 p.m. in the evening Sunday when a resue mission on the initiative of Jaffna Magistrate Mrs. Srinithi Nanthasegaran went to Kayts.