A total of 1055 civilians sought protection with security forces on Saturday (March 21), fleeing from LTTE terrorists amidst heavy artillery and mortar fire directed from the declared No Fire Zone.
According to military reports received, 308 men, 376 women, 371 children including 161 girls were rescued by troops of the 58 Division now operating in general area Iranapalai.
The injured civilians due to heavy LTTE artillery and mortar attacks were shifted for immediate medical attention at the general hospital in Vavuniya.
LTTE terrorists now cornered in a mere 25 sq.km land stretch are continuing to target those fleeing from its hostage in clear desperation, of sensing probable defeat by military, a defence official said.
Ministry of Defence
The eradication of the LTTE saves civilian lives. Misguided or, in the case of pro-Tiger diaspora groups, dishonest calls for a ceasefire would inevitably lead to more civilian casualties and a revival of terrorism. Reason, rather than pacifist or irrational thinking as manifested by the human rights establishment, would suggest that their efforts should be directed toward aid to Sri Lanka for the reinsertion of Tamil speaking civilians and not toward throwing a line to the sinking LTTE.
For more than a decade Western liberal elites gave the LTTE a pass under the pretext that they represent real grievances of Sri Lanka’s Tamils. Ottawa, Washington, and Delhi closed their eyes to their own Tamil speaking citizens’ being forced or manipulated into paying for the murder of civilians in Sri Lanka, despite officially declaring the Tigers a terrorist group.