AIR FORCE BOMBS NORTH, CIVILIAN TARGET HIT?

SRI LANKA / Misna on Ladysilvia; The Sri Lankan air force today bombed the northern district of Mullaithivu, according to military sources destroying a Tamil Tiger naval base, while the rebels claim that a civilian objective was hit. “We took one target today in Puthukkudiyiruppu. It was the Sea Tigers’ headquarters, a fuel dump and vehicle parking area, all completely destroyed. Right now the base is on fire”, said an air force spokesman, adding that the air strike also hit munitions stores.

The rebel command of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) denied having a Sea Tiger headquarter building in Puthukkudiyiruppu. “Its not a headquarters. It’s a White Pigeon office that is damaged”, the LTTE humanitarian issues spokeswoman told the Reuters news agency, specifying that it is a local charity which makes prosthetic limbs for landmine victims. “There is no Sea Tiger building in the area where the attack took place. It is entirely a civilian area”, she added. MISNA contacted the London office of the White Pigeon: “it is true, we have a centre in Puthukkudiyiruppu and have so far not been able to establish contact with them”, stated Ponnuthurai Fathiafwelen, administrative director of the NGO. “The structure comprises offices and a lab for building prosthetic limbs for landmine victims. There are no rebel bases in the city, and the inhabited area is rather small”, he added. Puthukkudiyiruppu is about 15km from the coast. According to the Tamilnet internet site, in the air force bombing two civilians were killed and four wounded along the Kaivaeli-Puthukkudiyir'uppu road in the Mullaiththeevu district. [BO]

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