The UN convoy of 51 trucks, carrying 650 tons of food and accompanied by seven UN international staff, crossed at Omanthai, on its way to civilians caught behind the lines of confrontation, according to a press release issued in
The food is the first to be sent since the UN and other aid agencies were ordered out of LTTE-held areas by the government in early September.
The international humanitarian workers who accompanied the convoy returned to Vavuniya, which is under government control, after the trucks got through.
“The convoy will transport and distribute food to four locations to the east of Kilinochchi, where the majority of displaced civilians are thought to have concentrated,” the UN statement noted.
Aid agencies estimate about 200,000 people have been displaced by fighting in areas held by the Tamil Tigers.
Azeb Asrat from the UN's World Food Programme says there are a large number of people in Tamil Tiger areas who have been displaced by the fighting.
"The food is needed," he said, "because 200,000 internally displaced people are waiting."
"The last distribution was done around 15 September, so it's already two weeks that people have been without food."
The convoy initially consisted of 60 trucks, but nine lorries were not allowed to proceed after the security forces allegedly discovered explosives, global positioning system sets and a large number of batteries.
United Nations officials in
In a statement, the UN reiterated that humanitarian operations and personnel must be protected at all times, in line with international humanitarian law.
