This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/8009459.stm
The article has changed 15 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Sri Lanka army accused of carnage | Sri Lanka army accused of carnage |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A Tamil Tiger spokesman has accused the Sri Lankan government of shelling civilians and wreaking carnage during its military offensive in the north. | A Tamil Tiger spokesman has accused the Sri Lankan government of shelling civilians and wreaking carnage during its military offensive in the north. |
| The government has denied the allegations, in turn accusing the rebel group of targeting civilians. | The government has denied the allegations, in turn accusing the rebel group of targeting civilians. |
| It said that by midday (0630 GMT) nearly 50,000 civilians had fled the Tamil Tiger-held area. | It said that by midday (0630 GMT) nearly 50,000 civilians had fled the Tamil Tiger-held area. |
| Meanwhile government forces say they have made inroads into the sliver of territory still held by the Tigers. | Meanwhile government forces say they have made inroads into the sliver of territory still held by the Tigers. |
| They have entered two villages in the zone and in effect control the north-west third of it. | They have entered two villages in the zone and in effect control the north-west third of it. |
| The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it was "extremely worried" about civilians still trapped in the zone. | |
| See map of the region | |
| "The situation is nothing short of catastrophic. Ongoing fighting has killed or wounded hundreds of civilians who have only minimal access to medical care," said Director of Operations Pierre Kraehenbuehl. | |
| Offensive continued | |
| A deadline for the rebels to surrender or face a final assault expired at 0630 GMT with no word from the Tigers. | A deadline for the rebels to surrender or face a final assault expired at 0630 GMT with no word from the Tigers. |
| Thousands of civilians are leaving the conflict zone | |
| "The [Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam] has not responded to the government's call to surrender, so we are keeping up our offensive to rescue the civilians," said army spokesman Brig Udaya Nanayakkara. | "The [Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam] has not responded to the government's call to surrender, so we are keeping up our offensive to rescue the civilians," said army spokesman Brig Udaya Nanayakkara. |
| The rebel spokesman, who gave his name as Thileepan, spoke to the BBC by telephone with the sound of explosions in the background. | The rebel spokesman, who gave his name as Thileepan, spoke to the BBC by telephone with the sound of explosions in the background. |
| He said a hospital, an orphanage and many houses had been hit and huge numbers of civilians had been killed in a military onslaught of the area. | He said a hospital, an orphanage and many houses had been hit and huge numbers of civilians had been killed in a military onslaught of the area. |
| He said people had been reduced to hiding under logs and trees and using makeshift bunkers dug into the sand. | He said people had been reduced to hiding under logs and trees and using makeshift bunkers dug into the sand. |
| 'Human avalanche' | 'Human avalanche' |
| The Sri Lankan military has denied shelling civilians inside the rebel-held area. | The Sri Lankan military has denied shelling civilians inside the rebel-held area. |
| Brig Nanayakkara told the BBC that only small-arms had been used. | Brig Nanayakkara told the BBC that only small-arms had been used. |
| He said the Tigers were targeting civilians because they knew that if non-combatants left, the rebels would be "sitting ducks". | He said the Tigers were targeting civilians because they knew that if non-combatants left, the rebels would be "sitting ducks". |
| The army says three rebel suicide bombings had targeted fleeing civilians, killing 17. | The army says three rebel suicide bombings had targeted fleeing civilians, killing 17. |
| Tamil protests in Paris on Monday turned violent | |
| One Tamil man who had just left the conflict zone said the rebels tried to shoot anyone planning to escape. | One Tamil man who had just left the conflict zone said the rebels tried to shoot anyone planning to escape. |
| Local newspapers are covered with pictures of large numbers of people leaving rebel territory, says the BBC's Charles Haviland in Colombo. | Local newspapers are covered with pictures of large numbers of people leaving rebel territory, says the BBC's Charles Haviland in Colombo. |
| One calls the process a "human avalanche". | One calls the process a "human avalanche". |
| Reports suggest hospitals in the fighting zone were struggling to cope. | |
| "We've had lots of dead bodies brought to the hospital, others are on the road," a health worker at Matalan hospital told the BBC. | |
| "Lots of the injured who are taken to the hospital die from blood loss - there is no blood-bank and a lot of people are anaemic because there is no food. People are suffering." | |
| People escaped after troops broke through a fortification which had been blocking their advance into the Tigers' last stronghold, the army said on Monday. | People escaped after troops broke through a fortification which had been blocking their advance into the Tigers' last stronghold, the army said on Monday. |
| Aerial video showed thousands of people filing out of the combat zone. Tens of thousands remain in the area, which has seen heavy fighting for months. | Aerial video showed thousands of people filing out of the combat zone. Tens of thousands remain in the area, which has seen heavy fighting for months. |
| The government says more than 49,000 have now left, more than 2,000 of them by sea on fishing boats. | The government says more than 49,000 have now left, more than 2,000 of them by sea on fishing boats. |
| They are on their way to government-run transit camps which Western media have no access to, it adds. | They are on their way to government-run transit camps which Western media have no access to, it adds. |
| The pro-rebel TamilNet website said several hundred civilians were feared killed and injured after troops advanced into the zone. | The pro-rebel TamilNet website said several hundred civilians were feared killed and injured after troops advanced into the zone. |
| Tamil protesters held angry demonstrations in Paris and London on Monday against the army operations. | Tamil protesters held angry demonstrations in Paris and London on Monday against the army operations. |
| About 180 people were arrested in Paris as the protest there turned violent. | About 180 people were arrested in Paris as the protest there turned violent. |
| 'Nightmare' | 'Nightmare' |
| Sri Lanka's defence ministry said on Tuesday troops were advancing into what was previously designated by the government as a safe zone. | Sri Lanka's defence ministry said on Tuesday troops were advancing into what was previously designated by the government as a safe zone. |
| It said another 3,000 civilians left the conflict zone on Tuesday. | It said another 3,000 civilians left the conflict zone on Tuesday. |
| Each side accuses the other of killing civilians in the long running civil conflict. | Each side accuses the other of killing civilians in the long running civil conflict. |
| Foreign reporters are not allowed into the combat zone, making it impossible to independently verify the claims. | Foreign reporters are not allowed into the combat zone, making it impossible to independently verify the claims. |
| The Tigers are restricted to a 20 sq km (12.4 sq miles) coastal patch. | The Tigers are restricted to a 20 sq km (12.4 sq miles) coastal patch. |
| Gordon Weiss, the UN spokesman in Sri Lanka, said it was not known how many civilians remained there but that the UN had been working off a figure of some 150,000 to 200,000 people in recent months. | Gordon Weiss, the UN spokesman in Sri Lanka, said it was not known how many civilians remained there but that the UN had been working off a figure of some 150,000 to 200,000 people in recent months. |
| The government is not giving the ICRC access to the landward side of the zone. | |
| So it can only evacuate people by sea, with two or three ships per week each carrying 400 or 500 of the sickest, oldest and most badly wounded people. | So it can only evacuate people by sea, with two or three ships per week each carrying 400 or 500 of the sickest, oldest and most badly wounded people. |
| MAP OF THE REGION Click here to return | MAP OF THE REGION Click here to return |
| Are you in Sri Lanka and have you had any contact with civilians who have fled the recent fighting? Send us your comments. | Are you in Sri Lanka and have you had any contact with civilians who have fled the recent fighting? Send us your comments. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |