Sri Lanka declares 'safety zone' for Tamil civilians

Sri Lanka’s military declared a “safety zone” to enable 250,000 trapped civilians to cross into government-controlled territory from the diminishing area held by Tamil Tiger rebels in the war-torn north.

The air force dropped leaflets yesterday urging civilians in the region to travel to the 14 square-mile zone in rebel territory and remain there until the army could transport them to safer locations, military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said.