More than 18 Muslim civilians have been killed and at least 60 others wounded when shells hit the schools they were hiding in during fierce fighting between Sri Lankan forces and Tamil Tigers rebels on Thursday.

Fearing for their lives, many families walked for miles through minefields and jungle abandoning their homes to escape the fighting that broke out between government forces and the Tamil Tiger rebels.

At least nine thousand Muslims, men, women and children have sought refuge in the Arabic College and mosques in Muttur town since the fighting between SLA and LTTE broke out in Muttur, a predominantly Muslim town.

Fierce clashes are continuing between SLA and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the jetty area.

The exact number of those injured remains unclear, sources said.

Almost all of the civilians fleeing the area are Muslims - a minority community that supports neither the government nor the Tigers, but accused by both parties of collaborating with the other.

The current conflict broke out following a ground offensive the government launched against Tiger-held territory last weekend, claiming that the Tigers cut off water supply to government territory.

Source:Islamonline.com