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Tigers accuse Lanka of shelling hospital

Colombo reassures Delhi of protecting Tamils

AFP, Colombo/ New Delhi
Separatist Tamil Tigers yesterday accused Sri Lankan troops of shelling a hospital inside rebel-held territory, putting scores of patients at risk
The report on a pro-Tiger website said at least five artillery shells fell close to the Kilinochchi hospital on Saturday, destroying part of its boundary wall.
’At least 170 patients, including 60 warded inpatients with the staff of the Kilinochchi hospital narrowly escaped Saturday evening an artillery attack launched by the Sri Lanka army," Tamil.net said.
The website, which released pictures it said were of the attack
said the hospital buildings were undamaged and that patients and staff had not been evacuated.
There was no immediate comment from Sri Lanka's defence ministry.
However, the ministry said troops fought pitched battles on Saturday as they moved closer to the Liberation Tigers oflbnul Eelam's (ETTE) politicalcapital of Kilinochchi.
The ministry did not release details of troops wounded or killed in the battles. The defence ministry last week said it will not release casualty figures because of the "need for operational security."
According to a defence ministry map, government troops are about
10 to 15 kilometres (six to 10 miles) southwest of Kilinochchi.
Meanwhile, a senior Sri I.ankan minister held talks on Sunday with the Indian foreign minister over tire safety of the island nation's minority Tamils as its conflict with Tamil Tiger rebels escalates.
Sri Lanka's Tamils share close cultural and religious links with the 55 million Tamils in the southern Indian state ofTamil Nadu.
New Delhi has expressed concern over the conflict and legislators from Tamil Nadu threatened to resign unless the Indian government tookaction.
Basil Rajapakse, a top aide of Sri Lankan President Mahinda
Rajapakse, said he had held "very positive" talks with Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
Rajapakse told reporters after the meeting he had given India "every assurance" that Tamils' needs would be met.
India had used the talks to convey "its concern at the humanitarian situation" in northern Sri Lanka and had "emphasised the need for unhindered essential relief supplies," the Indian foreign ministry said in a statement.
Tens of thousands of people have died on both sides since the UTE launched a military campaign in 1972 to carve out a homeland for minority Tamils.