U.N. Says Scores Killed in Recent Sri Lanka Clashes

[Coventina]

Source: New York Times

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — An average of 70 civilians have been killed each day since late January in fighting between the Sri Lankan government and ethnic Tamil separatists, according to the latest tally by the United Nations.

Despite international calls for a cease-fire, including a visit here Friday by senior Indian officials, the government is pushing ahead with its plans to destroy the remnants of the Tamil Tigers, who are now confined to a sandy narrow strip of land about seven kilometers long off Sri Lanka’s northeast coast.

More than 100,000 civilians fled from the combat zone earlier this week but the United Nations estimates that anywhere from 50,000 to 100,000 civilians remain trapped on the sandy spit of land. The assessment is based on satellite images and reports from United Nations workers in the conflict zone.

“The humanitarian conditions in the conflict area are very grim,” said Sarasi Wijueatne, a spokeswoman for the International Committee of the Red Cross, which has evacuated 11,000 sick and wounded by ferry over the past three months.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/25/world/asia/25lanka.html?ref=global-home