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UN relief team heads to Sri Lanka Fears grow for Sri Lanka trapped
(40 minutes later)
The UN is to send a humanitarian team into northern Sri Lanka, as fears grow for thousands of civilians trapped in the region by fighting. The UN is sending a humanitarian team to northern Sri Lanka, where it says 50,000 people are trapped by fighting.
The organisation estimates that 50,000 people are still in the crossfire. The organisation has called on the rebels and the Sri Lankan government to allow pauses in conflict so aid can be sent in and people evacuated.
Sri Lanka's government has rejected a UN appeal to allow more aid agencies into the war zone, where the army is closing in on Tamil Tiger rebels.Sri Lanka's government has rejected a UN appeal to allow more aid agencies into the war zone, where the army is closing in on Tamil Tiger rebels.
The government says 100,000 people have fled since Monday's military push, in addition to 60,000 in recent months. The government says 100,000 people have fled since Monday's military push.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon announced the immediate despatch of the humanitarian team at a news conference in Brussels. An estimated 60,000 people had already fled in recent months.
"So many lives have been sacrificed. There is no time to lose," Mr Ban said.
See a map of the region See a map of the region
He said the new team would monitor the situation and the UN would do "whatever we can to protect the civilian population who are caught in the war-zone." UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon announced the immediate despatch of the humanitarian team at a news conference in Brussels on Thursday.
The deal to allow in the UN team was brokered by top UN official VJ Nambiar when he met Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse. Open the gates of hell and allow these people out into safety Amin AwadUN Refugee Council
Rejected appeal "So many lives have been sacrificed. There is no time to lose," Mr Ban said.
He said the new team would monitor the situation and the UN would do "whatever we can to protect the civilian population who are caught in the war zone."
Hours later, the UN Refugee Council's representative in Colombo, Amin Awad, called on the Sri Lankan government to allow pauses in the fighting so the necessary work could be completed.
"A rapid humanitarian assessment and delivery of much-needed supplies is needed and needed now," he told the BBC.
"We are calling on the government to restrain itself and have the moral upper ground by allowing the humanitarian aid in, and we're asking the LTTE [Tamil Tigers] to open the gates of hell and allow these people out into safety."
Hospitals overwhelmed
India has also expressed concern about stranded civilians and senior ministers are travelling to Colombo to raise the humanitarian issue with the Sri Lankan government.
Doctors say many people have been treated for gunshot and blast injuries
India's Foreign Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, called for an end to "the continued killing of innocent Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka".
"The Sri Lankan government has a responsibility to protect its own citizens and the LTTE must stop its barbaric attempt to hold civilians hostage," said Mr Mukherjee.
"There is no military solution to this ongoing humanitarian crisis, and all concerned should recognise this fact."
Thousands of people are caught with the Tamil Tigers in a 12 sq km (5 sq m) area in the north of the country as the military closes in.Thousands of people are caught with the Tamil Tigers in a 12 sq km (5 sq m) area in the north of the country as the military closes in.
We are going very slowly to rescue the remaining civilians... Our troops are not using heavy fire power Gotabhaya RajapaksaSri Lankan Defence Secretary Colombo rejects UN civilian plea
The UN's humanitarian coordinator, Neil Buhne, said tens of thousands of people were living in camps in the northern town of Vavuniya.The UN's humanitarian coordinator, Neil Buhne, said tens of thousands of people were living in camps in the northern town of Vavuniya.
We are doing emergency surgery, but the hospital is completely overwhelmed Dr Paul McMaster, MSF
"I saw infants with dysentery, malnourished children and women, untended wounds, and people dressed in the ragged clothing they've been wearing for months," the Associated Press quoted him as saying."I saw infants with dysentery, malnourished children and women, untended wounds, and people dressed in the ragged clothing they've been wearing for months," the Associated Press quoted him as saying.
Paul McMaster, a British surgeon with Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF), told the BBC a "continuous stream" of patients had been arriving at the hospital in Vavuniya since the weekend.Paul McMaster, a British surgeon with Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF), told the BBC a "continuous stream" of patients had been arriving at the hospital in Vavuniya since the weekend.
He said the hospital was equipped with 400 beds but was treating nearly 2,000 patients, many of them with gunshot wounds and blast injuries.He said the hospital was equipped with 400 beds but was treating nearly 2,000 patients, many of them with gunshot wounds and blast injuries.
"We are doing emergency surgery, but our difficulty is the hospital is completely overwhelmed," he said, with patients lying on the floor, in corridors and outside under trees and temporary shelters. "We are doing emergency surgery, but the hospital is completely overwhelmed," he said, with patients lying on the floor, in corridors and outside under trees and temporary shelters.
"Trying to maintain any reasonable amount of post-operative care is a major challenge," said Dr McMaster. 'Not sensible'
Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa earlier rejected a UN appeal to allow aid agencies in. On Thursday, Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa rejected a UN appeal to allow aid agencies in.
"It's not a sensible thing at the moment," he told the BBC. "There is a civilian rescue operation going on in the area and allowing aid agencies inside the conflict zone is not matching with ground realities." href="/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/south_asia_sri_lanka_refugees/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/south_asia_sri_lanka_refugees/html/1.stm', '1240394463', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=600,height=530,left=312,top=100'); return false;">View satellite images showing area in northern Sri Lanka where refugees have gathered on the beach. href="/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/south_asia_sri_lanka_refugees/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/south_asia_sri_lanka_refugees/html/1.stm', '1240394463', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=600,height=530,left=312,top=100'); return false;" >In pictures
"It's not a sensible thing at the moment," he told the BBC.
"There is a civilian rescue operation going on in the area and allowing aid agencies inside the conflict zone is not matching with ground realities."
While the government has allowed aid agencies to help those fleeing the conflict, Sri Lanka's UN ambassador says only the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Catholic charity, Caritas, have been let into the war zone itself.While the government has allowed aid agencies to help those fleeing the conflict, Sri Lanka's UN ambassador says only the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Catholic charity, Caritas, have been let into the war zone itself.
The ICRC said they had evacuated 530 people on Thursday and 350 the day before, including families as well as sick and wounded people.The ICRC said they had evacuated 530 people on Thursday and 350 the day before, including families as well as sick and wounded people.
'No heavy fire' On Wednesday the UN Security Council, which had been accused of inaction, called on the Tamil Tigers to lay down their arms and urged the Sri Lankan government to allow international aid agencies into areas of need.
Late on Wednesday the UN Security Council called on the Tamil Tigers to lay down their arms, and urged the Sri Lankan government to allow international aid agencies into the areas where people need help.
View satellite images showing area in northern Sri Lanka where refugees have gathered on the beach.In pictures
Advocacy groups have been critical of the Council, accusing it of inaction in the face of the suffering in Sri Lanka.
The UN and other Western nations - including the US and the UK - have been pressing for an immediate halt to the fighting to allow time for civilians to leave the war zone safely.The UN and other Western nations - including the US and the UK - have been pressing for an immediate halt to the fighting to allow time for civilians to leave the war zone safely.
The government categorically denies rebel charges that hundreds of civilians have been killed by the army. The government categorically denies rebel charges that hundreds of civilians have been killed by the army, saying soldiers are only lightly armed and are trying to rescue trapped people.
"We are going very slowly towards the south of the no-fire zone to rescue the remaining civilians," said Mr Rajapaksa, the most senior civilian official in charge of the war.
"Our troops are not using heavy fire power, they are using only guns and personal weapons," he added.
The Tamil Tigers, meanwhile, deny accusations that they are holding civilians as human shields.The Tamil Tigers, meanwhile, deny accusations that they are holding civilians as human shields.
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