The troops are moving ahead after its rout of the LTTE, Sunday, in what is reportedly one of the largest humanitarian exercises by an army to free civilians, including large numbers of women and children, held against their will by the LTTE to protect what is left of its leadership and fighting cadres, and also forcibly recruited to carry arms for the LTTE.

LTTE terrorists tasted their worst defeat by security forces with the loss of its long standing armed presence at Puthukudiyirippu, losing over more than 420 fighting cadres, with 130 bodies being recovered by troops, including more than a dozen 'high rankers', during four days of pitched fighting. Among those reported killed were many of its leading cadres including Theepan, Panjan, Keerthi, Mahindan, Vidusha, Durga, Gadafi, Nagulesh and Kamalini.

Following this success, the Army has now brought the entire area outside the civilian safety zone under its control following three days of fighting in the Puthukudiyirippu east, and had not crossed to the civilian safety zone yet.

Intercepts from LTTE radio communications have indicated that the deputy leader and intelligence chief of the LTTE, Pottu Amman, together with sectional leaders Theepan and Bhanu, were directing the resistance by the LTTE in the final battle to hold Puthukudiyirippu, and had on many occasions said he was unable to supply any more weapons and ammunition to the fighting cadres facing the advancing Sri Lanka troops. The military has made a large haul of weapons of the LTTE, as it dealt this major blow to the terrorists, and also captured several pieces of heavy artillery it was using to shell civilian areas, in moves to those fleeing the LTTE area, give e impression of a “humanitarian catastrophe”, being caused by the continued humanitarian military operation by Sri Lanka troops.

On Friday (April 3) the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon called on the LTTE to allow civilians to leave the conflict area of their own free will. He expressed his deep distress by continuing reports of civilians being kept at extreme risk, against their will and with heavy casualties in a very small area by the LTTE.

The UNSG deplored the forced recruitment of civilians, particularly children, stating the severe restrictions of the LTTE on their freedom of movement violated international law.

The Government of Sri Lanka has rejected several calls for a “humanitarian ceasefire” made by some countries and several foreign organizations as being unrealistic in the current context of defeating the terrorism of the LTTE, and the need to save the civilians being held hostage by it. Most of these appeals were seen as ill-considered moves, based on pro-LTTE propaganda that could only give a lifeline to the world’s most ruthless terrorist organization, seeking a respite to re-arm itself and return to battle, as it has done during earlier ceasefires and cessations of hostilities.

As the LTTE was reeling under successive defeats at the hands of Sri Lankan troops, large numbers of civilian forcibly held by the LTTE in the No Fire Zone, continued to cross over to the Safe Zone in government held area, in the face of severe threats, including shooting at sight and killing of those who attempted to flee the terrorists. The flow of civilians to government held areas continues and is expected to increase substantially in the next few days.