LTTE kills seven including women and boy in Vavuniya

Seven civilians including a boy and six women were killed by the LTTE at Awaranthalawa, 13 kilometers off Vavuniya yesterday. Several other residents in the village were also injured when the Tigers randomly shot at a crowd in the village, the Media Centre for National Security said.

Police believe that the LTTE committed this crime to provoke the Sinhala residents on the eve of the Sinhala and Tamil New year festival. The Settikulam police are conducting further investigations.

Meanwhile in a major military and humanitarian victory the Army gained full control of the 41 km A-5 Badulla - Maha Oya - Chenkaladdy road on April 11 confining the LTTE to around 140 square kilometers in the Thoppigala jungles.

Government Forces gained control of the A-5 after 14 years. Security Forces estimate the number of LTTE trapped inside Thoppigala jungles to be around 300 to 350.