Tamils in Puthukudiyiruppu gathered to remember the innocent victims of 1999 Sri Lankan Air Force strike on Manthuvil, marking 25 years since the massacre this week.

Family members, friends gathered at the Puthukudiyiruppu-Manthuvil junction to pay tribute to their loved ones.

On September 15, 1999, two Kfir Jets belonging to the Sri Lanka Air Force bombed a crowded public place in the Tamil town of Puthukkudiyiruppu in the Mullaitivu District. This was even though the school was declared a safe zone for Eelam Tamils. 

At the time of the incident, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) condemned the incident. "It is with deep regret and concern that we confirm the death of 21 civilians consequent to the air strike in Puthukkudiyiruppu yesterday. We deplore the fact that the air strike was in a civilian area," ICRC spokesman Harasha Gunawardana had told Tamil Net.

The bombing raised serious criticisms from Amnesty International which in a statement expressed concern over the bombing, adding that the Sri Lankan military spokesperson denied the raid, which killed at least 21 Tamils in a crowded marketplace, had been a deliberate attack on civilians.

Amnesty also questioned the Sri Lankan military's adherence to the fundamental rules of the Humanitarian law which include the prohibition of direct attacks on civilians and civilian objects and the prohibition of attacks on military targets expected to cause incidental loss of civilian life.