Flatly rejecting the US embassy's tweet yesterday stating that Sri Lankan Army shelling had killed hundreds of families at St Anthany's Ground, as "baseless allegations", the Sri Lankan Army's spokesperson Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya asserted that the tweet "could also be an attempt to give credence to otherwise baseless allegations that have been propagated by some governments and separatist elements with the support of some international media organizations.”

Meanwhile, responding to the Sri Lankan government's demands that it removes the tweet, the US embassy in Colombo, made clear that it would not do so, as the statement was the country's official position.

See full statement by Brigadier Wanigasooriya, published in the Daily Mirror, below:

“The allegation therein that the Sri Lanka Army shelling had killed hundreds of families at St Antony's Ground, Iranapallai is completely baseless. According to people who live in that area the LTTE had used this ground as a place to handover dead bodies of their cadre who succumbed to injuries received during fighting. If this place was not safe the LTTE would never have used it for that purpose. They also confirm that there never was an incident of shelling on this ground when civilians were present.

It is surprising to see a baseless allegation of this nature being released by the US Embassy without any credible verification. Although the reason for this release is best known to them, this could be part of a much larger campaign that they intend launching in the near future.

It could also be an attempt to give credence to otherwise baseless allegations that have been propagated by some governments and separatist elements with the support of some international media organizations.”