Between February 5 and 6 hundreds of civilians were able to escape heavy fighting in the fast shrinking combat areas and reach safety behind army lines in the Visvamadhu area. Military Spokesperson Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara said that a large influx of civilians trapped inside the combat zones was expected.

"More are awaiting to crossover," he said. By February 6 morning another 600 civilians were waiting to crossover.

Last week's exodus was the largest since the second week of January when over 1600 fled, some north, towards Jaffna. There are about 2000 civilians who fled the fighting now in the Jaffna Peninsula.

Rising concern

International concern over the civilians has kept rising. On February 5 President Mahinda Rajapakse spoke to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and assured him that the safety of the civilians would not be jeopardised.

"The UN Secretary General was also told that the Sri Lankan security forces were compelled to carry out a humanitarian operation against a brutal terrorist organisation, as the government considered the freeing of the Tamil people from the suffering they were undergoing under the forces of terror as its responsibility," the President's Office said of the 15 minute telephone conversation with Ki-Moon who was in India.

The week had witnessed mounting civilian casualties first when the Puthukkudiyiruppu hospital, the last functioning hospital within the combat zone (all others had been relocated to other locations due to fighting) was hit by shell fire between February 1 night and 3rd.

The ICRC that has three international staff members stationed at the hospital later said that at least nine persons had been killed and 20 injured. During the week the UN said that over 60 civilians may have been killed.

IDP site

The shelling of the hospital prompted it to be relocated to Putumattalan, close to the coast, north of Mullaithivu. Already there was a sizable IDP concentration at Putumattalan. A little reported fact.

The area however has an issue with safe drinking water and with limited supplies getting into the combat zone, that could turn out to be one of the big issues.

The ICRC staff also had relocated to a community centre at Putumattalan where the Puthukkudiyiruppu hospital was relocated.  Puthukkudiyiruppu was already stretched beyond capacity when it was relocated. The hospital with about 150 beds was looking after 500 patients while another 300 or so had taken refuge in the compound and near it. On January 29, of the 20 doctors in the combat areas, 11 had moved to government areas.

The ICRC was trying to arrange a humanitarian convoy out of the combat zone with the 500 patients last week.  Limited convoys also had resulted in food, medicine and other supplies also running thin.

Matter of life and death

The government has predicted that more and more civilians would escape the fighting in the coming days. The sooner they do so, the safer it would be for them. The safety across the government lines is literally a matter of life and death.

"International efforts to persuade the LTTE to allow the civilians freedom of movement have failed. There remains only a short period before the LTTE loses control of all areas in the north. The LTTE and the GOSL should recognise that further loss of life - of civilians and combatants - will serve no cause," the Tokyo Donor Co-Chairs said last week. The civilians will be in ever increasing danger as the Tigers get cornered and encircled unless they get out.

The land area held by the Tigers has fallen below 200 sq km last week. The Defence Ministry said that the Tigers held as little as 159 sq. km. by January end. And it was shrinking fast. Last week the last major Tiger camp along the coast with effective marooning and sea access, Chalai, north of Mullaithivu fell into government hands.

Largest base

Chalai was the largest Sea Tiger base where the Sea Tigers operated out of. "According to military sources troops attached to the 55 Division led by Brigadier Prasanna Silva took control of the last Sea Tiger base after five days of intense fighting and killing top Sea Tiger Leader Vinayagam and three other leaders.

"At least a dozen more Sea Tiger cadres were killed in the ensuing battle while troops were advancing towards Chalai from Chundikulam," the Defence Ministry said.

Earlier a group of around 40 Tigers had tried to breach the army defences in Mullaithivu, but had been taken out by forces. The Tigers also carried out a suicide attack on troops in Mullaithivu when a young cadre pretending to seek protection blew himself up. The Defence Ministry said that the cadre could have been as young as 14 years.  

Troops had first entered Chalai on January 27, where once again the Tigers had erected large earth bunds. A similar tactic had failed in Mullaithivu when troops breached a section of the earth bund at one location. The location had been subjected to concerted air and ground assault and once breached troops poured through, outnumbering the Tigers quickly.

The Tigers have now been effectively locked into Puthukkudiyiruppu with Visvamadhu also completely coming under government control.

"Meanwhile, troops attached to the 57 Division under the command of Major General Jagath Dias also completed the task of taking full control of Visvamadhu area with the 572 Brigade under the command of Colonel Senerath Bandara and 574 Brigade under the command of Lt. Colonel Senaka Wijesuriya taking the southern part of Visvamadhu. The 58 Division under the command of Brigadier Shavendra Silva took full control of the Visvamadhu North in the north of A-35 road," the Defence Ministry said.

Advancing forces have also made a string of discoveries - including a workshop that was making rudimentary submersibles, one of which has now become a hit at the Dayata Kirula exhibition.

Modern gym

One of the most interesting discoveries was that of a full equipped modern gym inside a Tiger camp that was a main training post for suicide cadres. The camp also had punching bags and memorials.

"Evidence suggests that the LTTE Leader had made frequent visits to the location which is also believed to be the exact site where the LTTE human bombs were hosted with their 'final dinner of death' along with Pirapaharan himself," the Defence Ministry said. Troops had also recovered a jeep that was suspected to have been used by a high ranker.