Sri Lanka

Government and Tamil Tigers both deny shelling hospital

Article published on the 2009-02-11 Latest update 2009-02-11 13:53 TU

A Tamil woman receiving treatment at a hospital in the eastern port of Trincomalee, east of Colombo.
(Photo: Reuters)

The military in Sri Lanka has denied claims that it shelled a temporary hospital, in an attack which killed 16 people on Monday in their battle against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The rebel group also denies responsibility.

The International Committee of the Red Cross reported the attack on the hospital, but did not indicate who they thought was responsible for the assault.

“We are shocked that patients are not afforded the protection they are entitled to,” said Paul Castella, from the ICRC.

“We did not fire at this location on Monday and it is quite possible that the LTTE attacked them,” said military spokesperson Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara.

It is difficult to determine exactly who carried out the attack as independent verification is not easy. Journalists, rights organisation and international witnesses are not able to report on events in the region.

In another incident the military also accused the LTTE of shooting a number of civilians who tried to escape their territory on Tuesday.

Nineteen civilians were killed as they fled the area, with another 75 wounded.

The Tamil Tigers have denied firing at civilians in a statement on the TamilNet website.

The Tigers are cornered in the north of the country in an area thought to be around 100 square kilometres after an ongoing government offensive. Government troops took the Tamil Tiger’s de facto capital of Kilinochchi in early January.