STATE TERRORISM: Sri Lanka Air Force attacks convent in Vanni, deploys cluster bombs

Sri Lanka Air Force attacks convent in Vanni, deploys cluster bombs
[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 December 2008, 07:40 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombed a convent named Holy Cross Convent, located on Paranthan Mullaiththevu Road, 600 meters away from Paranthan junction Tuesday night around 10:30 p.m., a day before Christmas. TamilNet correspondent who visited the site Wednesday morning witnessed that the attacked premises was marked with Red Cross on the roof. The nearby church also sustained damage. The SLAF deployed cluster munitions in the bombardment, residents who fled the site said. 85 cows of a herd a few meters away from the convent were killed in the attack.

SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan
The trace of cluster bombing. A parachute used to drop cluster container and the remains of the exploded case which carried bomblets.
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SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan
SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan
Karaichchi North Co-Operative society building located between the junction and the convent was also attacked by the SLAF bombers, causing the remaining civilians to flee the area.

Paranthan has been bombed in more than five sorties by the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers causing civilians living near the convent to flee the area. The indiscriminate bombardment has also targeted shops and other commercial establishment in Paranthan and Kumarapuram.

SLAF bombed Paranthan three times Tuesday night and twice Wednesday morning, at 7:30 a.m. and around 9:00 a.m.
The bombers also attacked Kugnchup-paranthan where heavy fighting has erupted Wednesday morning.

SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan
Red Cross marked roof of the Holy Cross Convent bombed by the SLAF
SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan
SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan

Paranthan bombardment
Livestock killed in SLAF cluster bombardment in Paranthan

SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan
SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan
SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan
SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan

Paranthan bombardment
Co-operative society building bombed in Paranthan
Paranthan bombardment
Co-operative society building bombed in Paranthan
Paranthan bombardment
Co-operative society building bombed in Paranthan
Paranthan bombardment
Livestock killed in SLAF cluster bombardment
Paranthan bombardment
Livestock killed in SLAF cluster bombardment
Paranthan bombardment
Cows killed in SLAF cluster bombardment on cattle herd in Paranthan
Paranthan bombardment
A wounded cow

Heavy fighting erupts in Kugnchup-paranthan
[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 December 2008, 08:14 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) fighting formations were engaged in a heavy fighting with the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Kugnchup-paranthan, where the SLA suffered a debacle a few weeks ago, according to initial reports from the area.

Heavy fighting was reported from 4:00 a.m. in the village, which the SLA claimed it had occupied on Tuesday.