LTTE claims Lankan Air Force kills 43 Tamil children in Wanni

Colombo, Aug 14 (UNI) The Tamil Tiger rebels charged that the Sri Lankan air force jets bombed an LTTE-run children orphanage in the rebel-heartland of Mullaitivu this morning, killing at least 43 schoolchildren and seriously wounding 60, the LTTE's Peace Secretariat website claimed.

''The Sri Lankan air force killed 43 school children in its indiscriminate air strikes in Puthukuddiyiruppu, Mullaitivu this morning around 0720 hrs. The school children were participating in a first aid seminar organised by Senchcholai, a well-known girl's home that cares for children who lost parents in the war,'' the LTTE website claimed.

According the report, Senchcholai has been looking after the war-affected children for the past fifteen years.

''The number of children killed is feared to be higher. Sixty children were wounded in the air strikes. The injured children are being transported to Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu hospitals,'' the web report said, adding that the Nordic truce monitoring mission and the UNICEF have been informed about the incident and requested to visit the site.

However, a government spokesman denied the LTTE charges in this regard and claimed that the air force had only bombed an LTTE training camp in the Wanni.

''The Air Force has not bombed any children orphanage, but it has bombed only an LTTE training base,'' the government spokesman said.

When contacted, spokesman of the Nordic truce monitoring mission, Thorfinnur Omarsson said that the LTTE has lodged a complaint with regard to the aerial attack.

''We have got a complaint from the LTTE that the orphanage in Mullaitivu has been bombed and that 50 children have been killed.

Our monitors are on their way to the site and we cannot comment anything more right now,'' Mr Omarsson told UNI over the phone.

Media Communication officer of the UNICEF, Junko Mitani, also confirmed that they too have received a complaint from the LTTE in this regard.

''We have an office there in Kilinochchi and we have sent our officers to investigate and verify the reports,'' she said.

UNI XC SB RS1321