Civilians are “making constant efforts to flee” from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to areas in Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi districts captured by the army in the past three weeks, the Defense Ministry said on its Web site.

Soldiers overran LTTE defense lines at Udayarkattukulam, west of Mullaitivu, after “hours of fierce fighting,” the ministry said in a statement late yesterday. The LTTE hasn’t commented on the report.

The Tamil Tigers have been driven to the northeastern region after suffering the biggest defeats in their fight for a separate homeland in the north and east of the island nation. Clashes in the past three weeks have displaced tens of thousands of civilians inside the conflict zones, the International Committee of the Red Cross said this week. More... Published: Wed Jan 21 21:44:25 EST 2009

But as the military advances rapidly, human rights groups and humanitarian agencies have raised the alarm over the fate of some 230,000 civilians trapped by ground fighting and aerial attacks. Many have been forced to flee by the retreating Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, making it hard to deliver aid and evacuate the injured.

In an echo of the Gaza conflict, the government has blocked access for almost all news media and relief agencies. It has also withheld casualty figures, while President Mahinda Rajapaksa has rallied public support behind an all-out push to defeat the rebels.

Since September, the International Committee of the Red Cross has been the only relief organization allowed into the Vanni region where the fighting is under way. Last week, the ICRC expressed "serious concerns" over the "physical safety and living conditions" of displaced civilians.

The last relief convoy on Jan. 16 was able to deliver food and evacuate some patients in four ambulances. But others are still stranded and require urgent treatment, says ICRC spokeswoman Sarasi Wijeratne. Increasing numbers of displaced civilians are fleeing the fighting, she says by e-mail. More... Published: Wed Jan 21 21:46:22 EST 2009

Declaring that tracing out the remnants of the Air Tigers was Sri Lankan forces' top priority, the Agriculture Development Minister Hemakumara Nanayakkara said that though six LTTE airstrips in Iranamadu and adjoining areas had been captured, there was still no trace of LTTE jets.

He said Sri Lankan army chief Lt Gen Sarath Fonseka believes there is one more major airstrip within the forested area in the last tiger bastion of Mullaittivu, which the security forces are targeting.

Aeronautical engineers arrived masquerading as 'good samaritans' and constructed airstrips for the LTTE, he said.

Addressing an election rally in Wayamba in connection with the North-Western Provincial Council elections yesterday, Nanayakkara said these engineers and other technical experts also provided the expertise to manufacture fast seacraft, claymore bombs etc. More... Published: Wed Jan 21 07:11:49 EST 2009