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Shelling kills 'dozens' in Sri Lanka

Updated on 12 May 2009

By James Blake

Dozens of people are reported killed after an attack on a hospital in the country's no-fire zone.

Tamil men at temporary shelter (Source: Reuters)

A makeshift hospital in the no-fire zone in the north of Sri Lanka has been shelled killing dozens of people, according to a doctor working in the area. The attack comes just days after a more sustained shelling reportedly killed hundreds in the safe area which is just a few square kilometres. The Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers have been trading blame for the attacks. According to the United Nations 50,000 or more civilians are trapped in the conflict. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) says 130,000 are trapped, while the government says no more than 20,000. Diplomats say the number is immaterial with so many in harm's way.

The civilians are in a strip of northern coast, with water on both sides, measuring 2.5 square km (1 sq mile).

This report contains some disturbing images

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