The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and other agencies have raised the issue of a humanitarian crisis unfolding in the battle between Sri Lankan government troops and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), with an estimated 250,000 civilians caught between the fighting according to the ICRC. A school in the town of Mullaitivu, which was recaptured from Tamil nationalists on January 25. Violence has intensified over the past few days in the Tamil-dominated northwest, where government forces have made strategically important gains, including the capture of Mullaitivu , the last rebel stronghold. But hundreds of thousands of civilians, nearly all Tamils, remain trapped within a 300 square kilometer war zone. However, the LTTE have accused the Sri Lankan military of firing artillery shells into the safe zone, while the government denies such accusations. Likewise, the LTTE have denied the claim that they are using civilians as human shields by forcing them to stay in the area while holding them at gunpoint. The LTTE have yet to answer the military's accusation that they deliberately placed their heavy weapons near populated areas and hospitals. In response to accusations of firing at civilians, President Mahinda Rajapaksa pledged that his military would respect the boundaries of the no-fire zone. In a late-night meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee , the president assured his forces would "minimize the effects of conflict on Tamil civilians." Mukherjee has pledged to send aid materials into northern Sri Lanka. However, some Indian media sources suspect this is a political move aimed at gaining favor with the DMK , a Tamil party in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu . Meanwhile, the fate of civilians in the war zone remains uncertain, as the violence has prevented most foreign media and international agencies from entering the area. The ICRC has called on both sides to respect the lives of civilians. "People are being caught in the crossfire, hospitals and ambulances have been hit by shelling and several aid workers were injured while evacuating the wounded," said Jacques de Maio, the head of operations for the ICRC in South Asia.
The (ICRC) and other agencies have raised the issue of a unfolding in the battle between Sri Lankan government troops and the (LTTE), with an estimated 250,000 civilians caught between the fighting according to the ICRC. A school in the town of Mullaitivu, which was recaptured from Tamil nationalists on January 25. Violence has intensified over the past few days in the -dominated northwest, where government forces have made strategically important gains, including the capture of , the last rebel stronghold. But hundreds of thousands of civilians, nearly all Tamils, remain trapped within a 300 square kilometer war zone. However, the LTTE have accused the Sri Lankan military of firing artillery shells into the safe zone, while the government denies such accusations. Likewise, the LTTE have denied the claim that they are using civilians as by forcing them to stay in the area while holding them at gunpoint. The LTTE have yet to answer the military's accusation that they deliberately placed their heavy weapons near populated areas and hospitals. In response to accusations of firing at civilians, President pledged that his military would respect the boundaries of the no-fire zone. In a late-night meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister , the president assured his forces would "minimize the effects of conflict on Tamil civilians." Mukherjee has pledged to send aid materials into northern Sri Lanka. However, some Indian media sources suspect this is a political move aimed at gaining favor with the , a Tamil party in the southern Indian state of . Meanwhile, the fate of civilians in the war zone remains uncertain, as the violence has prevented most foreign media and international agencies from entering the area. The ICRC has called on both sides to respect the lives of civilians. "People are being caught in the crossfire, hospitals and ambulances have been hit by shelling and several aid workers were injured while evacuating the wounded," said Jacques de Maio, the head of operations for the ICRC in South Asia.
D
International Committee of the Red Cross
D
humanitarian crisis
D
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
R
Tamil-dominated
-dominated
D
Mullaitivu
D
human shields
D
Mahinda Rajapaksa
D
Pranab Mukherjee
D
DMK
D
Tamil Nadu