High casualties as Sri Lankan forces step up attacks on civilian population centers in Vanni

At least five civilians, including an eighteen-month of baby, were killed and more than 25 wounded in artillery and air-strikes on Friday and Saturday last week as Sri Lankan security forces stepped attacks on civilian population centers in Vanni, including 2 hospitals, in their ongoing military campaign.

Sri Lanka Army (SLA) launched an indiscriminate artillery barrage in the early hours of Friday, August 8 targeting the Mullaitheevu hospital. The artillery barrage killed an 18-month-old baby and caused injuries to 16 civilians, including the Mullaiththeevu District Secretary (Government Agent), Ms. Imelda Sukumar, who was at her official residence and Medical Superintendent Dr. V. Shanmugarajah's wife.

The Director of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Peace Secretariat, S. Puleedevan, blamed the Sri Lankan government for repeatedly violating the Geneva Conventions during its offensive.

Puleedevan condemned the Sri Lankan government for violating the Conventions by 'deliberate and direct targeting' of civilian hospital premises and the residences of its own officials who were also responsible for the humanitarian assistance and monitoring in the district.

According to medical officials in the area, one child and four females wounded in SLA shelling were transferred to Vavuniyaa hospital and the injured government agent and others were admitted to Puthukkudiyiruppu hospital.

Many civilians were seen moving from the area after the SLA barrage, which was launched from Manalaaru (Weli Oya) area.

On the same day, SLA also targeted another hospital in LTTE administered Vanni by launching an artillery attack targeting the area near Akkaraayan hospital, killing a 49-year-old internally displaced person from Mannaar, who was residing in Vanneari.

Sinnaththamby Arulanantham, 49, was killed on the spot at Vannearikkulam where three artillery shells hit the location of an IDP settlement. Two artillery shells hit the grounds 400 meters near the Akkaraayan hospital. Two more shells exploded at Aaanaivizhunthaan.

The attack in Vanneari and Aanaivizhunthaan in the Karaichchi division of Kilinochchi district caused the IDPs temporarily residing in the area to flee the area again.

A day after the attack on Mullaitheevu hospital, Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers attacked a populated village, known as 'Redd Barna' settlement, in Visuvamadu around 10:20 a.m. on Saturday killing three civilians and wounding six.

A teacher and a mother were killed in Iranaippaalai located along the Puthukkudiyiruppu - Maaththalan Road in Mullaiththeevu district.