Civilian killed, SLA steps up artillery barrage on Ki'linochchi suburbs

[TamilNet, Thursday, 30 October 2008, 11:18 GMT]
A 29-year-old man was killed at Iraththinapuram, a suburb south of Ki'linochchi Wednesday evening when Sri Lanka Army (SLA) launched artillery barrage targeting the suburbs of the town. Since last Friday, the SLA has been continuously firing artillery shells towards the civilian properties of the suburbs Kanakapuram, Uruththirapuram and Thirunakar where civilians were still engaged in moving their properties.

Artillery shelling was reported also during the nights. On Monday, the shelling lasted from 5:30 a.m to 8:00 a.m and from 2:00 p.m until evening.

On Tuesday, a 59-year-old civilian Muniyandi Chandranayagam, who was riding a bicycle on Ki'lincochchi - Akkaraayan Road, was wounded Monday when Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers targeted a residential area 1.5 km south of the town, at Kanakapuram, where Anpuch Choalai, the senior citizen's welfare centre was earlier located. Several houses were destroyed in the bombardment.

Mr. Chandranayagam was injured as he was on his way to salvage house hold articles from his house in Surveyor Shop Cross road.

The shelling intensified Wednesday from 1:30 p.m. to 2:40 p.m. on civilian settlements.