Former LTTE cadres in Kokkillai, Kokkuthoduvaai and Karunaaddukeni in Mullaitivu district were rounded up by soldiers and warned against taking part in terrorist activities, the Uthayan reported.

Many parents of former cadres demanded to stay with their children, when military vehicles arrived at 9am on Sunday to take the former cadres away.

The day before, soldiers had visited houses of former LTTE cadre, instructing them to attend the meeting.

The former cadre were subsequently released in the afternoon along with their parents after being handed a saaram (sarong), however the incident has left local residents in fear.

The rounding up and harassment of former LTTE cadre by the military has markedly increased over recent weeks following military claims that an effort to relaunch the LTTE is underway.

Responding to the heightened military activity, the Chief Minister of the Northern Province, C.V. Wigneswaran said the Sri Lankan government's claimed of 'LTTE regrouping' were to justify militarisation.

Earlier this month, three men, were shot dead by the army, who alleged the men were involved in terrorist activity.

Over 65 people have been arrested during the past month over 'LTTE links', the Sri Lankan police reported on Thursday.

Concerns have been raised over the treatment of the former female LTTE cadre who many say, have been specifically targeted.

See related articles:

Arrest, detention and torture of Tamil women by security forces (12 Apr 2014)

Sri Lanka mistreats women suspected of LTTE links – Women's Action Network (09 Apr 2014)

Former female cadres summoned by Sri Lankan military - Vavuniya (03 Apr 2014)