Three artillery shell attacks struck a Sri Lanka hospital overflowing with wounded patients Sunday night, the last of them hitting a ward of women and children, according to international agencies and health workers.
At least 13 people have been killed after a hospital in northern Sri Lanka was hit in three artillery attacks, United Nations officials have said.
Staff were struggling to retrieve bodies after the children’s ward of the Puthukkudiriruppu hospital in Mullaittivu district was struck about midnight, Gordon Weiss, a UN spokesman said on Monday.
"The frontline is very close to this hospital," Weiss told Al Jazeera.
"It is not confirmed as to who is behind the strike, but boths sides are using artillery, and it could have come from either side, there’s a continuing toll on civilians and the hospital resources there are stretched to the limit."
Dr Thurairajah Varatharajah, the region’s most senior health official, said that the shells appeared to have been fired by the Sri Lankan army and caused extensive damage to the hospital.
More than 500 patients were inside the hospital, one of the few still operating in an area where government forces say they are conducting the final phase of operations to overcome the Tigers.
"We’re shocked that the hospital was hit," said Paul Castella, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Colombo, Sri Lanka’s capital.
It is very critical position in Sri Lanka……..
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