SLAF steps up air-strikes on civilian settlements in Vanni

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 September 2008, 06:26 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers attacked civilian settlements in Vanni killing three Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and wounding five on Tuesday. One air-strike targeted IDPs who were dismantling their huts to leave from Mu'rika'ndi 155 Mile Post area that has been targeted by SLA shelling since Monday, as foreign aid workers and NGO officials were leaving the region. Six houses have been destroyed by the SLAF bombers that bombed four locations, with more than 16 bombs. Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) fired artillery shells targeting Puthumu'rippu, Oottuppulam, Chaanthapuram and Ira'naimadu area from 7:40 p.m.

The SLAF deployed air bursts and bunker-busting bombs, causing extensive damage in Mullaiththeevu district. Eight bombs were dropped near Aananthapuram school in Puthukkudiyiruppu at 6:50 a.m.

Two mothers, 48-year-old A. Mariyaseeli and 53-year-old K. Rajeswari, were wounded and four houses were destroyed at 7:10 a.m. in Udaiyaarkaddu where the SLAF used air-bursts on densely populated residential area. The victims were admitted at Puthukkudiyiruppu hospital.

At Mu'rika'ndi, 17-year-old Ponnuthurai Thayaparan and 25-year-old Thangarajah Jeyanthan were killed on the spot around 11:00 a.m. 60-year-old Kanapathipillai Thirunavukarasu succumbed to his injuries at Ki'linochchi hospital.

Two brothers of the killed victim Thayaparan and an elder brother of the other victim, were admitted to the hospital. Their house has been completely destroyed in the SLAF bombardment. The victims were relatives and had displaced to Vanni from Karaveddi in Jaffna.

The two families were recently displaced from Vavunikku'lam to Mu'rika'ndi area due to the Sri Lankan offensive on Vanni. They were attacked while readying to move from the area that has been shelled by the SLA on Tuesday.