U.N. sends more food to Sri Lanka

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, April 2 (UPI) -- A U.N. food agency said it shipped 1,000 metric tons of food aid to a safe zone in Sri Lanka, where fighting has displaced more than 100,000 people.

The items were sent aboard a ship chartered by the government of Sri Lanka, sailing under the flag of the International Committee of the Red Cross, The U.N. World Food Program said in a release.

WFP said the food would feed approximately 100,000 people for 20 days.

The world agency said it believes between 150,000 to 190,000 people are sheltered in a "no fire" zone in the northern Vanni region, where government forces and the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have been fighting.

Since road convoys to the Vanni region halted in late January because of security concerns, the World Food Program has sent nearly 2,220 metric tons of food using the sea route, the U.N. said.