Sri Lanka turns firepower on civilian zone, Unprecedented carnage

Unprecedented carnage, SLA turns firepower on civilian zone [TamilNet, Wednesday, 15 April 2009, 05:42 GMT]

Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Wednesday morning turned its artillery, mortar, 40 mm cannon, Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) and gunfire ranging from 50 caliber machine guns to LMG fire into the so-called safety zone, causing a carnage within a short period of time between 7:40 and 10:40 a.m. killing and maiming hundreds of civilians, according to the latest update by TamilNet correspondent in Vanni reporting from the area under attack. Civilians were struggling to transport the wounded to the hospital and many of the injured were lying along the roadside as gunfire and artillery barrage by the SLA continues. 

"It is impossible to assess casualty details, but at least 180 civilians are feared killed within 3 hours in the area between Mu'l'livaaykkaal to Pokka'nai."

"Almost all the bunkers are open bunkers and those who remain inside them are experiencing untold trauma as the 'no fire zone' has been turned into 'fire zone' by the SLA."

"Thousands of civilians are lying on open terrain, as there are not enough bunkers in the area between Valignarmadam and Mu'l'li-vaaykkaal, that has come under SLA barrage."

The wounded civilians who attempt to move towards the hospital whenever they sense a break between the attacks, are getting blocked by targeted gunfire from SLA positions from the outer perimeter of the so-called No-Fire / Safety zone.

"Many wounded civilians are lying along the sides of the road, awaiting help." The dead were being buried on the spot.

"The seriously wounded civilians are dying as their transport has been blocked by the SLA firing on medical transport carrying white flags. The casualty figures are expected to rise,"