Colombo, April 14:

Over 25,000 people, including 6,000 students, in the LTTE-held areas in the north-western Mannar district face displacement as the advancing government troops and the rebels are locked in fierce fighting, official sources here said today.

“The entire population of the LTTE-held Madhu and Maanthai west Assistant Government Agent division, numbering over 25,000 face displacement due to recent fighting in the area,” Mannar district Government Agent (Chief Administrative Officer) A Nicholaspillai said on phone from his Mannar office, about 310 km from Colombo.

Claiming that the people of these areas have moved further northwards deep into the LTTE held Kilinochchi area, he said the current rainy season and the resultant flood have worsened their plight. Nicholaspillai said relief supply to the displaced people had been “seriously affected” and the UN World Food Programme and the Commission General of Essential Services of the government were distributing food and other necessary items.

“The people are scattered and managing with temporary shelters. Their situation is not satisfactory,” the Mannar Government Agent said.

He said most of the food and medical supplies for these displaced people were being handled by the Kilinochchi Government Agent with the land entry route through Uyilankulam to the LTTE-held Mannar areas remaining closed for months due to heavy fighting. Fierce fighting in the Mannar district on the eve of the Tamil-Sinhala New Year has left over 100 combatants killed on both sides, with both the government troops and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) claiming heavy casualties on the other side.

The government on Sunday claimed that at least 77 Tamil Tiger rebels and 12 army personnel were killed when advancing government troops clashed with LTTE cadres in the northwestern Mannar district on Saturday.

It added that the advancing government troops “gained a significant area of ground” held by the rebels in Mannar after daylong clashes.