According to the Sri Lankan military, about 70 government soldiers have been taken prisoner by the LTTE following a major battle at the government military and naval base at Pooneryn. Amnesty International is appealing to the LTTE to publicly acknowledge whether any soldiers were captured at Pooneryn or in an earlier operation at Kilali. It is also calling on the LTTE to ensure that they are treated according to the basic minimum standards required under international humanitarian law, and for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to be granted immediate and regular access to these prisoners.
