May 10, Colombo: Sri Lanka today categorically rejected the LTTE's latest claims that the military had shelled the 'safe zone' in Mullaitivu killing 2,000 civilians in 24 hours and said the Tigers are firing mortars at the new safe zone from the positions in the old safe zone.

Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers in a statement posted on its web site TamilNet on Sunday charged the military for shelling the civilians.

"More than 2,000 innocent civilians have been killed in the last 24 hours," TamilNet quoting S. Pathmanathan said.

The Army said the Tigers have positioned their mortars in previously declared "Safe zone" and fired mortars towards the new safe zone.

"We have never carried out such attacks on the civilians, this is clearly a fabricated story," Sri Lanka military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said.

"It just propaganda to tarnish the image of the government forces in the eyes of public nationally and internationally," he added.

The military spokesman said the Tigers are trying to use the civilians as their last weapon to show the world that the army is firing indiscriminately and stop the offensive.

Mortar locating radars of Army confirmed that the mortar fire was launched from the previously declared Safe Zone, the Army said.

Meanwhile a doctor in the conflict area has told foreign media that at least 378 civilians were killed and another 1,100 people were wounded.