Civilian floodgates open...................... …
Picture above shows a clip of the State television footage where it showed a sea of civilians crossing over to government controlled areas. The president earlier claimed that over 35,000 civilians managed to escape LTTE controlled areas.* Courtesy SLRC* 35,000 civilians escape, LTTE complete defeat imminent - President More than 35,000 civilians today fled the last area under the control of Sri Lanka’s cornered LTTE, President Mahinda Rajapakse said, adding that the rebels' "complete defeat" was imminent. Showing aerial video from a military spy plane over the tiny area where the Tigers are staging a last stand, Rajapakse said 35,000 non-combatants had crossed the lines into government-held territory since early Monday morning. "The footage clearly shows that the people are defying the rebels and escaping. They are running to safety," the president said. The government has accused the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam of using trapped civilians as a human shield, and the president suggested that their escape removed a final obstacle to an all-out military assault. "The process of the complete defeat of the LTTE has just begun," he told AFP. "It is now all over for the Tigers." AFP --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ ****************************************************** This is a Best Sri Lankan E-Mail Group. ****************************************************** IF you like to join us, Send a E-mail to, [email protected] visit this group at http://groups.google.lk/group/sricom *********************:::SriCom:::************************* ****************************************************** ===================================================================== If this email is addressed wrongly, or if you no longer wish to receive emails, kindly inform us so that we may correct and update our lists. ===================================================================== -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
