Tension mounts as LTTE attacks kill 14, raising over 50 civilian casualties

Recent static's showed an alarming rise of violence perpetrated against unarmed civilian targets by the reckless LTTE terrorists in the North and East areas since 21st March, with an estimated number of fourteen arbitrary killings while 53 civilians sustained serious injuries.

The latest escalation of LTTE violence were most prominent in the districts in Mannar, Jaffna and Batticaloa. Apart from LTTE gunmen attacks, the newest trend has been the continuous mortar shell fire towards areas populated with civilian settlements.

The civilian deaths reached 14, while the death figures resulted by the LTTE mortar attack at civilians settlements at Sittandikudi area, yesterday (29) increased to eight.

A seven year old child was amongst the victims of the latest spree of violence against civilians by the terrorist outfit.

Meantime, it is believed that over 8,000 IDPs temporarily settled around the Madu Church were forcibly marched into the un-cleared Vanni region, loaded into tractors of the LTTE to be used as 'Human shields' against a potential offensive stride by the security forces.

The Madu Church Priest, Fr. Emilius Pillai who recently critized the terrorist outfit for its 'Inhuman mode' of activities, against the IDPs and their hideous plot of abducting children between 12 to 17, is said to receive direct threats from the Vanni Tigers who are obsessed in fulfilling an individual's need