SECRETARY-GENERAL CONDEMNS SHELLING OF SRI LANKA AIRFIELD BY REBEL GROUP,

URGES END TO DESTRUCTIVE SPIRAL OF VIOLENCE

 

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General condemns the shelling today by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) of a helicopter airfield in Batticaloa in eastern Sri Lanka, which injured 12 people, including the United Nations Resident Coordinator and other members of a high-ranking international delegation, all of whom were taking part in a humanitarian assessment mission in the area.  The attack was in total disregard for the lives of civilians, humanitarian workers, Government officials and the international community.

The Secretary-General urges the parties to the conflict to end the destructive spiral of violence and calls on them to make every effort to return to the peace process as soon as possible.

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For information media • not an official record