One of our contacts at the pro-Tamil Tiger website TamilNet has sent us images of a makeshift hospital in Mul’l’li-vaaykkaal, which was allegedly shelled by the Sri Lankan army this morning. Warning: some of these pictures may be disturbing.

According to the TamilNet journalist, 47 people died during the artillery attack, which took place at 8:00 am this morning (local time). He says 2,600 people have been killed by the army over the weekend, a figure denied by the government. Hundreds of patients are massing at Mul’l’li-vaaykkaal as they wait for the International Committee of the Red Cross to evacuate them by boat.

On Monday, a spokesperson for the United Nations described the situation in Sri Lanka as a “bloodbath”. He said more than 100 children were among the victims of the army’s weekend bombings against the Tamil Tigers. Sri Lankan forces still ban journalists from the combat zone. Only pro-Tamil websites, which have their contacts on the ground, are able to spread images of the fighting outside the country.