Red Cross says major humanitarian crisis unfolding in Sri Lanka

Red Cross says major humanitarian crisis unfolding in Sri Lanka

The International Committee of the Red Cross says a major humanitarian crisis is unfolding in northern Sri Lanka where up to 250,000 people are trapped in a war zone. The neutral aid agency has appealed to government forces and separatist Tamil Tigers to respect the laws of war and allow civilians to move out of combat zones. Over the past two weeks hundreds of civilians have been killed in heavy fighting as government forces intensify their efforts to crush the 25-year-old separatist insurgency. On Sunday, the army announced the capture of the port of Mullaittivu, the Tamil Tigers' last urban stronghold. The rebels are now confined to an area of around 300 square kilometres of jungle.