Mar 27, Colombo: A top United Nation relief official yesterday expressed his concern over the civilians trapped in the no-fire zone of Northern Sri Lanka and appealed the rebel group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to allow the civilians to leave the war zone.

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, John Holmes told the reporters after an interactive Security Council discussion on Sri Lanka the LTTE continue forced recruitment of civilians within the combat zone, and is not allowing civilians out of the area. He described the situation as "extremely worrying."

"Our first appeal is to the LTTE to let the civilians out in a safe and orderly fashion," Holmes said.

Reiterating a call for a temporary pause in fighting to allow much-needed relief in and to allow people to leave, Holmes called on the Sri Lankan government to do all it can to avoid civilian casualties and not to use heavy weapons in the area.

Sri Lankan military has given the assurance that it will not use heavy weapons in the fighting. However the Sri Lankan government says the LTTE has placed their heavy artillery and mortar guns among the civilian shelters in the no-fire zone and fire at the troops.

Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom, Sir John Sawers, commenting on the situation in Sri Lanka to the media said it is clear that it is the LTTE preventing civilians from leaving. "We condemn their action," he said.

UK Representative said the Sri Lanka is not on the formal agenda of the Security Council but the Council remains concerned.

Responding to the questions from media Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka Mr. H. M. G. S. Palihakkara said his government's priority now is to get the trapped civilians out and not to proceed a military offensive as the military did before to liberate the rest of the area. Mr. Palihakkara said the military is not firing any heavy weapons now as they have come so close to the no-fire zone and militarily it is not possible to fire heavy weapons into the area. He said the government is ready to workout a pause in fighting or any other modality to get the civilians out if the LTTE is willing to let them leave.