Many of over 380,000 Vanni refugees have been displaced several times. Denied shelter, adequate food and medicine, they are increasingly vulnerable. Heavy rains have increased disease. Several tanks are in danger of breaching banks and government officers have advised the people to move to safer areas. Shortage of food in the Vanni continues and prices remain high.
Food aid is irregular and reports say many are surviving on one inadequate meal a day.
Thousands of refugees are waiting at Thunukkai, Jeyapuram and Mallavi west of Mankulam for the resumption of shipping services from Mannar to return to Jaffna. The Army allows only a limited number and many are forced to return. Operation Jayasikurui troops are 20 miles south of Kilinochchi, the target to open a landroute to Jaffna. As the Army advanced on two fronts, the LTTE launched its sixth major attack at Kanagarayankulam and Mannakkulam on 4 December killing 147 commandos and injuring 396. The LTTE handed over 110 bodies of soldiers to the ICRC and claims it suffered only 35 casualties.