4TH LEAD (UPDATE)

SLAF airstrike kills civilian, 6 wounded in Visuvamadu

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 August 2008, 05:38 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers attacked on Saturday a populated village, known as 'Redd Barna' settlement, in Visuvamadu after targeting an irrigation tank in the area. A 40-year-old civilian, who was working at his paddy field was killed and six civilians were wounded, according to medical sources. The SLAF has stepped up indiscriminate bombardment on civilian settlements as the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) fired artillery shells have targeted Mullaiththeevu and Akkaraayan hospital zones. At least five civilians were killed and more than 25 wounded in artillery and air-strikes carried out by the Sri Lankan forces in Vanni on Friday and Saturday.



The attack on 'Redd Barna' settlement in Visuvamadu was carried out around 10:20 a.m. on Saturday. Two bombers dropped 12 bombs in three rounds in the air-strike that lasted for 15 minutes. Three houses were destroyed.

The civilian, Thevarajah, succumbed to his injuries while he was being rushed to Tharmapuram hospital with six other civilians.

P. Thavapalan, 46, father of four from Visuvamadu had to have his hand amputated, according to medical sources.

The other wounded were identified as 18-year-old Subramaniam Thusanth from Muththaiyankaddu, 24-year-old Ponnusamy Kokulan from Visuvamadu, 32-year-old S. Kannan, father of three from Thearaavil in Visuvamadu, 21-year-old S. Satheesvaran and 21-year-old Ratnam Balakumar from Punnai Neeraavi in Visuvamadu.

Cultivated land and trees including many coconut palms were destroyed in the attack that has taken place 300 meters from Paarathi Viththiyaalayam school in the Redd Barna settlement.

A teacher and a mother were killed in Ira'naippaalai located along the Puthukkudiyiruppu - Maaththa'lan Road in Mullaiththeevu district.

An irrigation tank in Visuvamadu was targeted in the SLAF bombardment.

On Friday, a child was killed and more than 18 wounded in artillery shelling that targeted the residences of administrative and medical officials near Mullaiththeevu hospital. The GA of Mullaiththeevu district and the wife and a son of the Medical Superintendent of the hospital were wounded.

One internally displaced civilian was killed Friday evening when artillery shells fired by the SLA exploded 400 meters near Akkaraayan hospital located in the Karaichchi division of Ki'linochchi district. Tension prevailed in the area as several IDP families who had sought refuge there were forced to flee the shelling.





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