(NSI News Source Info) COLOMBO - April 3, 2009: At least 279 Tamil civilians escaped Tamil Tiger rebels' territory to the government troops controlled area in the northern Mullaittivu district of Sri Lanka on Thursday, the military said on Friday. 
Tamil people, who escaped Tamil Tigers rebels-held area following fighting between Sri Lanka army and Tamil Tigers, are seen inside a temporary refugee camp in Vavuniya, northern Sri Lanka. Since the beginning of the year, over 35,000 Tamils have fled to government-controlled areas following fighting and been placed in refugee camps. However, these refugees complain that they are not able to leave the camps, a temporary measure the government says will continue until they can weed out the rebels' infiltrators hiding among civilians.
The Defense of Ministry said in a statement 155 people belonging to 52 families escaping on seven boats were rescued by the special sea units of the Navy in the northeastern coastal waters Thursday morning.
The civilians were escorted to the Point Pedro coast of the Jaffna peninsula by the navy units, the statement said.
Another 124 civilians escaped from the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) held territory to the troops controlled zone in the Puthukkudiyiruppu area in evening.
"The LTTE is fast loosing the battle with many junior and middle level cadres planning to surrender or join the civilians seeking refuge with the security forces," the statement said.
Meanwhile, a pro-rebel website said that 25 civilians including scores of children were killed and 56 more injured by shells in the new "safe zones" declared by the government in Puthumathalan, Mulivaaikal, Irraddaivaikal and Valaingaramadam in Mullaittivu on Thursday.
The verification for the claims by both sides is impossible as the authority do not allow any independent journalists or organizations to enter the battle zone.
The government had accused the rebels of holding civilians in the "safe zone".
The military said the LTTE are now cornered in an area of just 21 sq km including 20 sq km "safe zone" in Mullaittivu after the military recorded unprecedented success in the current military campaign started in 2006.
The international community has called on both the government and the LTTE to ensure the safety of the Tamil civilians trapped in the conflict zone as the troops advanced further into the rebel-held area.
About 60,000 civilians have fled the rebels' shrinking territory to the government controlled areas so far, the government said.
Although humanitarian agencies estimated some 230,000 civilians were originally trapped in Mullaittivu, the government said the figure was less than 120,000. 
Sri Lankan soldiers walk on a road in the Puthukkudiyirippu area, where fighting between the Sri Lanka army and the Liberation Tamil Tigers Eelam (LTTE) has taken place, in northeast Sri Lanka.
The government also said it maintains a regular supply of food and essentials to the civilians who are still trapped in the battle zone.
The LTTE began to rebel against the government to set up a separate homeland for the minority in the north and east in the mid-1980s, based on claims that the minority Tamils had been discriminated by the majority Sinhalese dominated governments.
More than 70,000 people have died in the conflict since the mid-1980s in one of the world's longest civil wars.
Tamil people, who escaped Tamil Tigers rebels-held area following fighting between Sri Lanka army and Tamil Tigers, are seen inside a temporary refugee camp in Vavuniya, northern Sri Lanka. Since the beginning of the year, over 35,000 Tamils have fled to government-controlled areas following fighting and been placed in refugee camps. However, these refugees complain that they are not able to leave the camps, a temporary measure the government says will continue until they can weed out the rebels' infiltrators hiding among civilians.
The Defense of Ministry said in a statement 155 people belonging to 52 families escaping on seven boats were rescued by the special sea units of the Navy in the northeastern coastal waters Thursday morning.
The civilians were escorted to the Point Pedro coast of the Jaffna peninsula by the navy units, the statement said.
Another 124 civilians escaped from the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) held territory to the troops controlled zone in the Puthukkudiyiruppu area in evening.
"The LTTE is fast loosing the battle with many junior and middle level cadres planning to surrender or join the civilians seeking refuge with the security forces," the statement said.
Meanwhile, a pro-rebel website said that 25 civilians including scores of children were killed and 56 more injured by shells in the new "safe zones" declared by the government in Puthumathalan, Mulivaaikal, Irraddaivaikal and Valaingaramadam in Mullaittivu on Thursday.
The verification for the claims by both sides is impossible as the authority do not allow any independent journalists or organizations to enter the battle zone.
The government had accused the rebels of holding civilians in the "safe zone".
The military said the LTTE are now cornered in an area of just 21 sq km including 20 sq km "safe zone" in Mullaittivu after the military recorded unprecedented success in the current military campaign started in 2006.
The international community has called on both the government and the LTTE to ensure the safety of the Tamil civilians trapped in the conflict zone as the troops advanced further into the rebel-held area.
About 60,000 civilians have fled the rebels' shrinking territory to the government controlled areas so far, the government said.
Although humanitarian agencies estimated some 230,000 civilians were originally trapped in Mullaittivu, the government said the figure was less than 120,000. Sri Lankan soldiers walk on a road in the Puthukkudiyirippu area, where fighting between the Sri Lanka army and the Liberation Tamil Tigers Eelam (LTTE) has taken place, in northeast Sri Lanka.
The government also said it maintains a regular supply of food and essentials to the civilians who are still trapped in the battle zone.
The LTTE began to rebel against the government to set up a separate homeland for the minority in the north and east in the mid-1980s, based on claims that the minority Tamils had been discriminated by the majority Sinhalese dominated governments.
More than 70,000 people have died in the conflict since the mid-1980s in one of the world's longest civil wars. 
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