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Puthukkudiyiruppu (PTK) town bombed by Sri Lanka Air Force

The affected area is close to the Paranthan Road-Iranaipalai Road junction where the SSV School is situated. The principal’s residence is also located inside the school grounds and the principal, R Selvanayagam, also sustained minor injuries. In a statement issued by the Education Zonal Director, M Thevendram, he said that 11 school buildings sustained cracks due to the bombing. A huge hole was dug in the playground which too was cracked in many places. The school attended by 1133 students was closed until further notice.

Three commercial outlets and two houses on the opposite side of the Iranaipalai Road was completely destroyed by the bombing and a further 13 homes sustained damages. A 52 years old woman, Francis Thavam, from one of the destroyed homes sustained injuries.

One of the commercial outlets is a rice grinding mill belonging to the Co-Operative Society. The other is a bookshop and the third one is a tailor shop. All three were destroyed with all the stock and equipment inside them costing several hundred thousand rupees.

Just 200 meters from the SSV School is the residence of the German Red Cross expatriate staff. Since there are no military targets anywhere near the bombed area, this must be seen as part of the provocation by the SLA to force the international agencies from Vanni. In Kilinochchi in another similar provocation, on 3 September, the SLA fired artillery shells just 200 meters from the WFP office and warehouse.

09 September 2008

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