Red Cross to ferry Sri Lankan wounded

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- An International Committee of the Red Cross representative Friday said the humanitarian group will ferry wounded civilians out of a Sri Lankan combat zone.

Sarasi Wijeratne, the Red Cross's representative in Sri Lanka, said 400 wounded or sick civilians would be ferried by sea out of Mullaitivu, where fighting took place between government and rebel forces, Colombo Page reported.

The ailing civilians were to be taken to Trincomalee to be treated at a hospital.

The ferry evacuation would mark the fourth time Red Cross officials have removed sick or wounded civilians to Trincomalee.

Colombo Page said Red Cross sea evacuations have already transported 1,040 civilians to safety following intense fighting in the Mullaitivu area, which was previously an area controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.