UN evacuates wounded civilians from Sri Lanka war zone
AFP
29-Jan-2009 (one comment)

The United Nations evacuated hundreds of severely wounded civilians from behind rebel lines in Sri Lanka on Thursday as government troops fought to secure final victory over the Tamil Tigers. Human rights bodies have called for immediate steps by both the Colombo government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to save up to 250,000 civilians trapped in the combat zone in the northeast of the island. About 350 critically wounded civilians, including 50 children, crossed the front lines," UN spokesman Gordon Weiss said, adding that the evacuations were the result of lengthy negotiations with the rebels.

 

A convoy of ambulances had been trapped for days behind Tiger front lines in Mullaittivu district, with the rebels refusing permission for it to leave.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which provided escorts for the mercy mission, said it was important to keep up such convoys.

>>>
IRANdokht

as the world keeps looking away... (again)

by IRANdokht on Thu Jan 29, 2009 09:24 AM PST

After months of intense battles, government security forces have cornered the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels, and according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) a major humanitarian crisis is unfolding. Some 250,000 people are trapped and hundreds have been reported killed.

I found the Canadian government's statement but nothing from US...



Balatarin
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