Unprecedented carnage unfolds in Vanni

Medical sources in Vanni reported Tuesday morning "mad shelling" by the Sri Lanka Army into civilian areas in Mu'l'li-vaaykkaal north, forcing everyone under the bunkers. Several civilians have been killed. The wounded are let to die as people are not able to move out of the bunkers due to the unprecedented barrage by the SLA from 4:30 a.m. The SLA deployed 'scorched earth' barrage using all kinds of weapons from 6:00 p.m. Tuesday in Valaignarmadam breaking the LTTE defence line. As the shelling by the SLA started to target civilian areas in Tuesday morning, the southern part of Mu'l'li-vaaykkaal has become completely congested and roads are blocked with civilians who managed flee from the northern areas.

MBRL, Artillery and heavy mortar fire by the SLA into populated areas in northern Mu'l'li-vaaykkaal, photographed from the sea Tuesday morning (28 April, 2009)

Patients killed in the ward of the hospital Tuesday morning

Civilians killed in the vicinity of the makeshift hospital Tuesday morning

Civilians killed in the vicinity of the makeshift hospital Tuesday morning

Shells fired by artillery formations, Multi-Barrel Rocket Launchers (MBRL), heavy mortars, RPGs and whizzing bullets from 50 calibre heavy machine guns from the advancing SLA units from Valaignarmadam have forced all the civilians, including the medical staff of the makeshift hospital in Mu'l'li-vaaykkaal to stay under bunkers.

There are many dead bodies of civilians along the roads. Only some civilians have managed to bury or burn their dead.

Five of the patients at the hospital ward were killed in SLA shelling. One medical staff had sustained injuries.

The number of casualties could be in hundreds as medical sources feared many of the wounded would also have succumbed to their injuries due to the shelling that continued for hours in the morning.

Latest reports from the medical authorities said more than 200 civilians have managed to reach the makeshift hospital. Most of them have been bandaged, but there are no medical supplies to treat the wounds.

Meanwhile, chaos prevailed in southern Mu'l'li-vaaykkaal as Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers entered the airspace around 1:20 p.m. Tuesday.

Reliable military sources in the South said that the SLA had advanced at least 600 meters breaking the defence line of the LTTE in Valaignarmadam Monday night, at the cost of heavy losses to SLA soldiers despite the deployment of superior fire.

The show of SLA fire power inside the so-called No Fire Zone, photographed from the sea Tuesday morning (28 April, 2009)

SLA barrage continued from 4:30 onwards on Tuesday

SLA shelling on civilian settlement, north of Mu'l'li-vaaykkaal on 28 April, 2009 around 10:00 a.m.

SLA shelling, A SLAF helicopter gunship is on the sky

A dead body of the civilian being burnt outside a house in Mu'l'li-vaaykkaal Tuesday morning.

A house hit by SLA shelling, photographed Tuesday. The house was hit on Monday around 8:00 p.m.

Chronology:

28.04.09 500 grams rice, 20 grams sugar per person to reach..

28.04.09 SLA fired 5,600 shells within 15 hours: LTTE

28.04.09 IC makes history in experimenting ‘genocide bomb’

28.04.09 Unprecedented carnage unfolds in Vanni

27.04.09 Sri Lanka steps up intense barrage of heavy weapon..

27.04.09 Sri Lanka continues air strikes violating own anno..

26.04.09 Several civilians killed, 200 wounded within 5 hou..

26.04.09 Inaction may cause 10,000 casualties: SOS appeal t..

26.04.09 SLA poised for all-out-carnage

26.04.09 Sri Lankan Defence Secretary rejects ceasefire, ca..

26.04.09 LTTE announces unilateral ceasefire

26.04.09 Colombo steps up air strikes, safe zone targeted 3..

25.04.09 Starvation: Colombo deploys the worst genocidal we..

25.04.09 Sri Lanka intensifies bombardment, 'safe zone' bom..

25.04.09 Another carnage imminent as the two Indian mandari..

24.04.09 165,000 civilians face imminent starvation, LTTE u..

24.04.09 Colombo uses starvation, denial of medicine as wea..

24.04.09 Civilian casualties top 20,000 in Vanni: Leaked UN..

23.04.09 SLN crafts encircle ICRC ship in Vanni

23.04.09 SLA shelling on church kills 14, Caritas-HUDEC Van..

22.04.09 SLA fire hampers ICRC evacuation of seriously woun..

22.04.09 SLA shells Church in Valaignarmadam, Fr. James Pat..

21.04.09 SLA cluster bombs kill doctor, medical staff at Va..

21.04.09 'SLA advances behind human shield, act fast to res..

20.04.09 Nadesan denies reports of human bomb, blames Colom..

20.04.09 Casualties cross 1000 in SLA's attempt to capture ..

20.04.09 SLA fires cluster bombs on 'safety zone'

20.04.09 Chaos and carnage as SLA enters 'safety zone'

19.04.09 SLA launches ground push targeting 'safety zone'

19.04.09 SLA attacks continue to target 'safety zone'

18.04.09 'Starvation poised for worse killings than shellin..

16.04.09 UN and IC signal civilian carnage

16.04.09 Onslaught of civilians continues, more than 57 kil..

16.04.09 SLA, SLAF intensify offensive targeting safety zon..

15.04.09 SLA offensive on civilian zone continues

15.04.09 Unprecedented carnage, SLA turns firepower on civi..

14.04.09 Mass human tragedy possible any moment in 'safety ..

14.04.09 SLA continues offensive at the doorstep of 'safe z..

13.04.09 SLA attacks kill 23 Tamil civilians within 12 hour..

13.04.09 SLA steps up ground offensive targeting 'safety zo..

12.04.09 Plight of babies born and unborn

12.04.09 31 civilians killed in SLA shelling, gunfire in 's..

11.04.09 SLA embarks upon capturing attack on civilians, 30..

11.04.09 SLA buildup poses severe threat to civilian securi..

11.04.09 599 killed, 3350 injured inside 'safety zone' sinc..

11.04.09 69 percent kids malnourished: Vanni health officia..

10.04.09 Stop shelling say Co-chairs, attack continues amid..

09.04.09 Carnage continues in Vanni

08.04.09 SLA attacks kill 129 civilians, 282 wounded in 'sa..

08.04.09 SLA bombs child nutrition centre in safety zone, 2..

07.04.09 Colombo turns firepower onto 'safety zone'

07.04.09 Threat of starvation haunts "Safe Zone" families

06.04.09 Medical official reports on pattern of shelling in..

05.04.09 Mangled bodies, torn limbs litter Safe Zone - medi..

05.04.09 SLA intensifies attacks on Safe Zone, 71 civilians..

04.04.09 Recognize our freedom: Vanni civilian leader

03.04.09 SLA attacks kill 90 civililans within 3 days, 195 ..

03.04.09 Eyewitness reports horrific experiences at makeshi..

02.04.09 SLA fired artillery shells create havoc inside saf..

31.03.09 SLA fires cluster shells, 45 civilians killed, 120..

31.03.09 SLA attacks kill 88 Tamils, including 21 children ..

30.03.09 SLA attacks kill 53 civilians inside 'safety zone'..

29.03.09 'Global order' experiments with body and mind of V..

28.03.09 179 civilians including 76 children killed within ..

26.03.09 SLA attacks kill Mullai DS officials engaged in hu..

26.03.09 SLA attacks hospital, 5 patients killed, 11 wounde..

26.03.09 Carnage continues, 131 civilians including 32 chil..

24.03.09 62 civilians killed, SLA, SLAF step up attacks on ..

24.03.09 SLA attacks kill 128 civilians in 48 hours

22.03.09 42 civilians killed, 80 wounded in Vanni Saturday

21.03.09 SLA shelling kills 102 civilians within 3 days ins..

17.03.09 84 killed, 182 wounded in SLAF attacks, shelling o..

17.03.09 18 civilians reported missing in 'safe-zone' borde..

17.03.09 'Safe zone' under encircling fire, 137 killed in 3..

15.03.09 Makeshift-hospital struggles without medicines

15.03.09 Shelling doesn't spare even babies in wombs

15.03.09 Civilian casualties mount as intense bombing and s..

13.03.09 SLA shelling targets relief supplies and hospital,..

13.03.09 SLA shelling targets humanitarian supplies in 'saf..

12.03.09 SLA shelling kills 82 civilians inside 'safe zone'..

12.03.09 50,000 families affected by floods in 'safe zone'

11.03.09 SLA shelling kills 133 civilians including 49 chil..

10.03.09 Sri Lankan cluster shelling kills 129 civilians wi..

10.03.09 Colombo's shelling carnage of flood-hit civilians,..

09.03.09 Shelling amidst mini-cyclone and lashing rains, th..

07.03.09 Sri Lankan attacks kill 208 civilians within 72 ho..

06.03.09 Doctors warn severe shortage of medicines in Vanni

06.03.09 Acid test for international actors

06.03.09 Only 2.2% of humanitarian supplies reached Vanni i..

05.03.09 Perpetrating civilian starvation is violation of a..

05.03.09 SLA fires cluster shells near hospital, scores wou..

05.03.09 Diarrhea claims 13 lives in Vanni within 14 days

04.03.09 SLA shelling kills more children, carnage in 'safe..

04.03.09 ICRC worker killed in SLA shelling

04.03.09 SLA in killing spree in the 'safety zone', 73 kill..

04.03.09 Shell landed on a civilian saves others

04.03.09 Deputy ZDE of Mullaiththeevu dies of shock from sh..

03.03.09 RDHS confirms 13 hunger deaths, urges officials to..

03.03.09 SLA shells hospital environs, 13 killed including ..

03.03.09 Skin rash breaks among children in Vanni

03.03.09 Vanni IDPs starving due to acute shortage of food

02.03.09 SLA shelling kills 122 within 3 days in Mullaithth..

02.03.09 Hunger claims lives in Vanni

02.03.09 Colombo killed 700 children in 2 months - LTTE Rad..

28.02.09 Newborn babies bereft of milk, humanitarian situat..

27.02.09 Downed SLAF aircraft was engaged in carpet-bombing

24.02.09 Heavy fighting in PTK, civilians trapped in SLA ba..

24.02.09 Children vulnerable to SLA shelling in new 'safe z..

22.02.09 50 Tamil civilians killed, 130 wounded within 48 h..

21.02.09 13 civilians killed, 70 wounded in SLA barrage Fri..

21.02.09 SLA barrages Mullaiththeevu after Tiger air attack..

19.02.09 30 families wiped out in massive attack Wednesday,..

18.02.09 Massive air attack on civilian targets, scores kil..

18.02.09 SLA artillery fire hits new 'safety zone', 108 kil..

16.02.09 260 killed, SLA shells and boxes civilians, preven..

16.02.09 Colombo uses firebombs setting ablaze civilian tar..

14.02.09 75 feared killed in SLA shelling, elders home

13.02.09 Herding people by terror: Intense shelling, dead b..

10.02.09 Relentless shelling expels civilians from 'safety ..

08.02.09 80 killed, 200 wounded, carnage continues inside '..

08.02.09 More than 180 killed in Sri Lankan bombardment wit..

07.02.09 SLAF bombs Ponnampalam hospital, 61 patients kille..

05.02.09 SLA attacks 'safety zone' using short-range mortar..

05.02.09 Hospital attacked, 7 killed, dozens wounded

04.02.09 Deliberate massacre, not 'crossfire' killing Tamil..

02.02.09 SLAF bombers attack Vanni, deploy cluster bombs

02.02.09 Nurse killed in Udaiyaarkaddu hospital, ICRC staff..

02.02.09 More than 5,000 shells fired on 'safety zone', cas..

02.02.09 SLA fires MBRL rockets on IDP camp, several feared..

02.02.09 SLA shells PTK hospital, 9 killed, 15 wounded

01.02.09 Civilian casualties rise, SLA, SLAF attacks contin..

01.02.09 Shelling hits hospital, ICRC shocked

31.01.09 Artillery-fired cluster shells, aerial bombing on ..

31.01.09 SLA shelling continues on 'safety zone', Colombo r..

30.01.09 Only international-sponsored ceasefire can lead to..

29.01.09 Artillery barrage kills 44 civilians, 178 wounded ..

28.01.09 Brutal attack on civilians, assurance to Mukherjee..

28.01.09 46 more civilians killed Tuesday, few wounded surv..

28.01.09 Hospitals, ambulances hit by shelling, hundreds ki..

27.01.09 300,000 civilians face hunger, Colombo, abettors r..

27.01.09 Norway breaks silence, condemns war

27.01.09 Dead bodies decomposed beyond identification - med..

27.01.09 Artillery barrage continues on 'safety zone', no s..

26.01.09 Targeting civilians in safety zone, premeditated w..

26.01.09 'Biased UN official misleads humanity, safely sitt..

26.01.09 More than 1,000 wounded, Mullai RDHS urges IC to s..

26.01.09 TNA seeks IC to stop carnage, urges medical help t..

26.01.09 More than 300 civilians feared killed, people blee..

26.01.09 Does IC know no human dignity of civilians, asks a..

26.01.09 100 civilians feared killed, countless wounded, ar..

25.01.09 SLA shelling kills 22 civilians, wounds 60, target..

24.01.09 12 civilians killed, 87 wounded, SLA continues art..

23.01.09 'Safety zone' shelled again, 5 civilians killed, 8..

23.01.09 Artillery barrage continues, 3 killed, 33 wounded

22.01.09 2 medical staff wounded in artillery barrage on ho..

22.01.09 Military was provided with exact coordinates of ho..

22.01.09 Hospital bombed, 5 killed, 15 wounded

22.01.09 66 civilians killed within 3 days - Mullai RDHS

22.01.09 SLA attacks civilians in 'secure zone', several ki..

21.01.09 IC urged to act on humanitarian grounds to safegua..

20.01.09 Unprecedented civilian carnage in Vanni

18.01.09 Vanni civilians under deadly siege

18.01.09 Artillery barrage kills several civilians, dozens ..

18.01.09 Sri Lankan shelling kills 4 civilians, children am..

17.01.09 Catholic priests appeal to UN to intervene in Vann..

16.01.09 5 civilians killed, 7 injured in Sri Lankan artill..

16.01.09 Jaffna Bishop urges SL President to stop bombardme..

16.01.09 Humanitarian tragedy in Vanni enters deadlier phas..

16.01.09 "Which norms of liberal democracy preclude IC atte..

13.01.09 Doctors call for attack free zones surrounding dis..

13.01.09 Humanitarian tragedy unfolds in Vanni