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Sri Lanka: UN delivers aid to over 2,000 families hosting internally displaced

In Sri Lanka’s northern Jaffna Peninsula, the United Nations refugee agency has supplied aid to more than 2,000 families hosting thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs) who have escaped renewed fighting between the Government forces and separatist Tamil Tiger rebels.

Sri Lanka: several thousands reported fleeing intensified government-rebel fighting – UN

Several thousand more people began fleeing an embattled separatist rebel-held pocket of land on Sri Lanka’s east coast today towards Government positions as Government forces were reported to be advancing amid intensified fighting, the United Nations refugee agency said.

Sri Lanka rebels, breakaway faction still abduct children to fight as soldiers: UN report

Sri Lankan children are being abducted to fight as soldiers in the bloody island conflict by separatist Tamil Tiger rebels and a breakaway group known as the Karuna faction, the Secretary-General has warned in his latest report to the Security Council, calling for an immediate end to the practice and recommending “targeted measures” in response.

Sri Lanka: 20,000 people uprooted by new Government-separatist fighting, UN reports

More than 20,000 people have fled fighting between the Sri Lankan Government and Tamil separatists in the Indian Ocean island’s eastern costal strip of Vaharai in the past three weeks, but despite reaching relative safety they still they face many problems and an uncertain future, the United Nations refugee agency reported today.

Sri Lanka: UN calls for warring parties to resume talks after at least 14 more are killed

Following the killing of at least 14 civilians in Sri Lanka today, the United Nations called on the Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to stop fighting, protect the innocent and resume talks.

Sri Lanka: Young child among 7 killed while fleeing fighting; UN urges end to conflict

A young child was among seven Sri Lankan displaced persons who died today when their boat capsized while they were fleeing fighting between Government troops and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the east of the island, the United Nations said, repeating calls for both sides to protect civilians and end the conflict.

UN demands protection for Sri Lankan civilians under fire from deadly shelling

The top United Nations official in strife-torn Sri Lanka has called on both sides in the conflict to urgently protect civilians in Vaharai in the east of the island, after five days of deadly shelling that has killed an unknown number, left dozens wounded and forced thousands to flee their homes.

UN-backed relief convoy reaches 40,000 Sri Lankans cut off for past month by fighting

A humanitarian convoy of 84 trucks organized with United Nations help has brought in food, fuel and medical supplies to 40,000 displaced Sri Lankans cut off for the past month by fighting between the Government and Tamil separatists in the north-east of the strife-torn Indian Ocean island.

UN adviser finds Sri Lanka’s children ‘at risk from all sides’ in the bloody conflict

Elements of Sri Lanka’s security forces are helping a breakaway rebel group abduct children to fight the separatist Tamil Tigers, while the rebels themselves continue to use child soldiers in their conflict against the Government, a United Nations adviser has said after a 10-day assessment mission to the strife-torn country.

Sri Lanka: Annan stresses ‘urgent need’ to end spiralling violence, return to talks

With the deadly conflict between Sri Lanka’s Government and Tamil Tiger separatists escalating dramatically this week, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today emphasized the “urgent need” to end the spiralling violence and called on both sides to immediately return to the peace process.