22 April,2009 10:48 AM IST | | Agencies
Sri Lankan soldiers battled into the last redoubt of the rebel Tamil Tigers yesterday as the exodus of people fleeing the war zone surpassed 62,000 and the United States said the conflict was at a "decisive point".
The International Committee of the Red Cross warned the situation was "nothing short of catastrophic" and urged both sides to prevent further mass casualties among civilians, saying hundreds had been killed in the past 48 hours.
The neutral agency did not assign blame to either side.
Senior US diplomat Michael Owen, speaking in Washington, urged Sri Lanka to allow the international community to monitor what was happening and assure help for trapped civilians.
"The 26-year-old conflict is at a decisive point and we see the potential for major developments witin the next 48 hours," said Owen.
