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| UN evacuates Sri Lanka civilians | UN evacuates Sri Lanka civilians |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The UN in Sri Lanka says one of its convoys has evacuated civilians wounded in the fighting between government forces and Tamil Tiger rebels. | The UN in Sri Lanka says one of its convoys has evacuated civilians wounded in the fighting between government forces and Tamil Tiger rebels. |
| The convoy has crossed the frontline out of the battle zone. | The convoy has crossed the frontline out of the battle zone. |
| A UN spokesman said the injured, including 50 children, were being taken to a hospital in Vavuniya. | A UN spokesman said the injured, including 50 children, were being taken to a hospital in Vavuniya. |
| Earlier, the Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse denied that the fighting had led to a humanitarian crisis in the north. | Earlier, the Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse denied that the fighting had led to a humanitarian crisis in the north. |
| UN spokesman Gordon Weiss said: "The convoy just crossed the frontline [with] hundreds of the civilians wounded by the fighting, including 50 critically wounded children, who are being moved to a Ministry of Health hospital in Vavuniya." | UN spokesman Gordon Weiss said: "The convoy just crossed the frontline [with] hundreds of the civilians wounded by the fighting, including 50 critically wounded children, who are being moved to a Ministry of Health hospital in Vavuniya." |
| On Wednesday, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa told the BBC that he had a policy of "zero" civilian casualties. | On Wednesday, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa told the BBC that he had a policy of "zero" civilian casualties. |
| The Red Cross believes that hundreds of civilians have been killed and hundreds of thousands more are trapped. | The Red Cross believes that hundreds of civilians have been killed and hundreds of thousands more are trapped. |
| See map of the region | See map of the region |
| The United Nations convoy, which was trapped in the town of Puthukkudiyiruppu, succeeded in its second attempt in three day to evacuated the critically wounded civilians. | The United Nations convoy, which was trapped in the town of Puthukkudiyiruppu, succeeded in its second attempt in three day to evacuated the critically wounded civilians. |
| India has sought assurances that civilians trapped by the fighting in northern Sri Lanka will be protected. | India has sought assurances that civilians trapped by the fighting in northern Sri Lanka will be protected. |
| 'Exaggeration' | 'Exaggeration' |
| Gotabhaya Rajapakse said both the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and UN were wrong about the situation in the north. | Gotabhaya Rajapakse said both the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and UN were wrong about the situation in the north. |
| INSURGENCY TIMELINE 1976: Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam form in the north-east1987: India deploys peace-keepers to Tamil areas but they leave in 19902002: Government and rebels agree ceasefire2006: Heavy fighting resumes2009: Army takes main rebel bases of Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu S Lanka army in ghost 'Tiger' townIndia's dilemma in Sri LankaVoices from Sri Lanka "I'm not saying they are lying but they are exaggerating," he said. | |
| He also ruled out any ceasefire for humanitarian reasons, saying it would give the Tigers a chance to reorganise. | He also ruled out any ceasefire for humanitarian reasons, saying it would give the Tigers a chance to reorganise. |
| "The purpose of this offensive is to eradicate them," he said. | "The purpose of this offensive is to eradicate them," he said. |
| The military say they are involved in a final push against retreating rebels. | The military say they are involved in a final push against retreating rebels. |
| Moving north from the captured rebel town of Mullaitivu, they are trying to secure the north-east coastline to encircle the rebels and say they hope to control the entire north within weeks. | Moving north from the captured rebel town of Mullaitivu, they are trying to secure the north-east coastline to encircle the rebels and say they hope to control the entire north within weeks. |
| The ICRC said earlier that hundreds of civilians had been killed and a quarter of a million people were trapped by the fighting. | The ICRC said earlier that hundreds of civilians had been killed and a quarter of a million people were trapped by the fighting. |
| The ICRC based its figure of dead on body counts by its staff in local hospitals. | The ICRC based its figure of dead on body counts by its staff in local hospitals. |
| It called on the government troops and rebels to allow immediate and free access to the combat zone for humanitarian workers. | It called on the government troops and rebels to allow immediate and free access to the combat zone for humanitarian workers. |
| But Sri Lanka's Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights said it was the rebels who were preventing the evacuation of civilians, not government forces. | But Sri Lanka's Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights said it was the rebels who were preventing the evacuation of civilians, not government forces. |
| It accused the Tigers of bombarding and killing civilians and suggested the Red Cross suffered from "either wilful ignorance or naivete" when it accused both sides of endangering civilians. | It accused the Tigers of bombarding and killing civilians and suggested the Red Cross suffered from "either wilful ignorance or naivete" when it accused both sides of endangering civilians. |
| MAP OF THE REGION Click here to return | MAP OF THE REGION Click here to return |