Sri Lanka government to open an escape route for civilians fleeing from Wanni

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Sri Lanka::
* Sri Lanka government to open an escape route for civilians fleeing from Wanni
Tuesday, February 19, 2008, 5:04 GMT, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Feb 19, Colombo: As heavy fighting continue to escalate in the northern region, the Sri Lankan government said that it would open a 'gateway' for trapped civilians in the Wanni area to crossover to the government controlled areas, media reports said.

“We would open an escape rout for civilians in the Wanni area and would give necessary accommodation,” government Defence Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukkwella told media.

He said that the government would create a ‘no war zone’ to facilitate the civilian movements. “We will drop leaflets to educate the public on our strategy which includes escape routes for them like we did when liberating Sampur,” the Minister has said.

Defence spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said some 100 civilians had already crossed over to cleared areas in Mannar and Vavuniya and they have been provided with food and shelter.

He said civilians could cross over to cleared areas using the Omanthai entry/exit point as well as by the sea route in Mannar.

Meanwhile Sri Lanka military said the Army had captured an LTTE bunker line in the Mannar battlefront following heavy clashes killing 10 Tigers and injuring another 20 cadres. Two soldiers were also killed and four were wounded from the fighting on Monday.

"Troops backed by artillery fire captured 600m of the LTTE's bunker line in Mannar," military spokesman Brigadier Nanayakkara said.