Lanka sets 24-hr deadline for LTTE chief to surrender

As the breakout was unfolding two suicide bomb attacks suspected to be LTTE handiwork were reported in the no-fire zone in which 17 people were feared killed.

Displaying aerial video footage of masses of trapped civilians making a beeline for freedom shot by Sri Lankan spy planes flying overhead,the President said the exodus has come as his forces made a significant breakthrough by capturing LTTE defence fortification bunds outside the no-fire zone.

“The video footage clearly shows that the people are defying the rebels and are escaping. They are running for safety,” Rajapaksa said.

The President went to the Air Force Headquarters to watch the visuals of Tamil civilians making a breakout for freedom.

Elaborating on the ultimatum,a Defence spokesman said that the ultimatum had begun at 1200 hrs local time.

Sri Lankan forces in recent months have overrun almost all the towns and cities held by the Tigers and now confined them to a small strip of land near Mullaittivu.

The Tigers,who have lost bulk of their personnel,are now trapped inside a designated no-fire zone along with an estimated hundred thousand civilians for the past few weeks.

While,the UN and other aid agencies estimate the number of trapped people around hundred thousand,the LTTE says more than 200,000 people are boxed in the zone and are living in dire humanitarian condition.

The government and aid agencies have accused the LTTE of using the trapped civilians as a shield. They have also accused the government forces of sometimes indiscriminately shelling the civilian zones leading to large number of death.

Earlier on Monday,the Sri Lankan forces claimed to have breached a defencive bund erected by the Tigers and rescued 15,000 people. But,later the flow turned into a mass exodus.

“This is the biggest single rescue of people and we believe that the number of people crossing over will increase,” a Military spokesman said.