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Tamil Tiger spokesman 'wounded' UN mourns Sri Lanka 'bloodbath'
(about 2 hours later)
The military spokesman for the Tamil Tiger rebels, Ilanthirayan, has been seriously wounded in fighting in Sri Lanka, a pro-rebel website says. The United Nations has described the situation in northern Sri Lanka as a "bloodbath" after reports of heavy civilian casualties at the weekend.
Mr Ilanthirayan sustained heavy injuries in an attack by the Sri Lankan army on Sunday, TamilNet said. UN spokesman in Colombo Gordon Weiss said more than 100 children died during the "large-scale killing of civilians".
On Sunday, a doctor working in the war zone said at least 378 people were killed by fierce shelling.
Meanwhile, the military spokesman for the Tamil Tiger rebels, Ilanthirayan, has been seriously wounded in fighting.
Mr Ilanthirayan sustained heavy injuries in an attack by the Sri Lankan army on Sunday, the pro-rebel website TamilNet said.
The Sri Lankan defence ministry said a senior officer of the rebels' sea wing also died in fighting last week.The Sri Lankan defence ministry said a senior officer of the rebels' sea wing also died in fighting last week.
Meanwhile, the United Nations has described the situation in northern Sri Lanka as a "bloodbath".
There have been reports of heavy civilian casualties at the weekend - at least 378 people were killed by fierce shelling from the Sri Lankan army over the weekend, a health official told the BBC.
'Bloodbath''Bloodbath'
"Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) military spokesman Irasiah Punitharooban - alias Ilanthirayan (Marshall) - sustained heavy injuries in the latest artillery barrage by the Sri Lanka army in the early hours of Sunday," TamilNet reported, quoting sources close to the rebels in the Vanni region. The UN had consistently warned of an impending bloodbath in the area, Mr Weiss said.
According to Sri Lanka's defence ministry, Ilanthirayan was a senior cadre of the rebel group from Batticaloa and he had been in key positions in the LTTE. It estimates that about 50,000 civilians are trapped by the conflict in a three-km-sq strip of land.
"The large-scale killing of civilians, including the death of over 100 children, over the weekend shows that the bloodbath scenario has become a reality," he added.
See a map of the conflict region See a map of the conflict region
The defence ministry says the second-in-command of the Tigers' sea wing, identified as Cheliyan, was killed in a confrontation in Karayanmullivaikkal on 7 May.
The rebels have not commented on the death so far.
Meanwhile, the UN spokesman in Colombo, Gordon Weiss, told the BBC that more than 100 children died during "the large-scale killing of civilians over the weekend".
He said the UN had "warned against the bloodbath scenario" and the weekend's events showed that "that bloodbath has become a reality".
A doctor working in the war zone said on Sunday that the bodies of 378 people had been registered at his hospital.A doctor working in the war zone said on Sunday that the bodies of 378 people had been registered at his hospital.
He said 1,122 others had been injured - and more bodies were lying on beaches and by the sides of roads.He said 1,122 others had been injured - and more bodies were lying on beaches and by the sides of roads.
He said heavy arms appeared to have been fired from government-run territory into a mainly civilian area under the rebel control.He said heavy arms appeared to have been fired from government-run territory into a mainly civilian area under the rebel control.
The army denies shelling the designated "safe zone" for civilians. The army denied shelling the designated "safe zone" for civilians.
The government said the Tigers had done the firing.The government said the Tigers had done the firing.
The claims are impossible to verify as reporters are banned from the war zone.The claims are impossible to verify as reporters are banned from the war zone.
The BBC's Charles Haviland in Colombo says the issue of civilian casualties is highly sensitive here and the state-owned Daily News on Monday makes no mention of the incident at all.The BBC's Charles Haviland in Colombo says the issue of civilian casualties is highly sensitive here and the state-owned Daily News on Monday makes no mention of the incident at all.
Meanwhile, in New York the British Foreign Secretary David Miliband is to co-sponsor informal discussions with ministers and charities on the island's humanitarian situation. Meanwhile, the pro-rebel TamilNet website said a key Tamil rebel figure has been seriously wounded.
"Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) military spokesman Irasiah Punitharooban - alias Ilanthirayan (Marshall) - sustained heavy injuries in the latest artillery barrage by the Sri Lanka army in the early hours of Sunday," TamilNet reported, quoting sources close to the rebels in the Vanni region.
According to Sri Lanka's defence ministry, Ilanthirayan was a senior cadre of the rebel group from Batticaloa.
The defence ministry said the second-in-command of the Tigers' sea wing, identified as Cheliyan, was killed in a fighting last week.
The rebels have not commented on the death so far.
'Propaganda'
The British Foreign Secretary David Miliband is to co-sponsor informal discussions in New York on the island's humanitarian situation.
The Sri Lankan government is dismissive of calls from him and other diplomats for a ceasefire in the north: it says it is about to defeat the rebels permanently and that a ceasefire would not help civilians.The Sri Lankan government is dismissive of calls from him and other diplomats for a ceasefire in the north: it says it is about to defeat the rebels permanently and that a ceasefire would not help civilians.
Reporters deported In response to claims of civilian deaths, military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said the Tamil Tigers had used artillery and mortar fire on two occasions on Saturday morning, directed against civilians within their zone.
On Sunday, Sri Lanka deported three British television journalists arrested on charges of tarnishing the image of the Sri Lankan security forces.
The three had compiled a report for the London-based Channel Four news, about allegations of poor treatment and sexual abuse at camps for those fleeing the fighting between Sri Lankan forces and Tamil Tiger rebels.
The journalists were detained in the eastern city of Trincomalee on Saturday.
Lakshman Hulugalle, who heads the government security information centre, said the trio had admitted they had "done something wrong".
A spokeswoman for the British Foreign Office said Sri Lanka's decision to deport them was disappointing when the case for greater transparency in Sri Lanka was overwhelming.
In response to claims of civilian deaths, military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said Tamil Tigers themselves had used artillery and mortar fire on two occasions on Saturday morning, directed against civilians within their zone.
Sri Lankan defence spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella also told the BBC that reports of government shelling were "propaganda" of the Tigers.Sri Lankan defence spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella also told the BBC that reports of government shelling were "propaganda" of the Tigers.
He said the guerrillas were "holding people to ransom" in their area, and accused them of killing nine civilians who were trying to escape their zone on Saturday.He said the guerrillas were "holding people to ransom" in their area, and accused them of killing nine civilians who were trying to escape their zone on Saturday.
The UN estimates that about 50,000 civilians are trapped by the conflict in a three-km-sq strip of land.
The Tamil Tigers have fought for an independent homeland for Sri Lanka's Tamil minority since 1983.The Tamil Tigers have fought for an independent homeland for Sri Lanka's Tamil minority since 1983.
More than 70,000 people have been killed in the war.More than 70,000 people have been killed in the war.
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