By Dumeetha Luthra BBC News, Colombo

Access into Kilinochchi was opened for the first time since fighting erupted in the north a week ago.

	Access to Jaffna is still cut off

It was only for two hours to allow people and relief supplies to go in, but no-one was allowed to leave.

The military said this was to allow people and relief to get in. No-one was allowed to leave.

However, the Jaffna peninsula which lies on the other side of the Tiger areas is still cut off.

The United Nations has appealed for access. It said there were serious concerns about the welfare of civilians in that area and that food and water supplies had fallen to alarmingly low levels.

Sources say the rebels have hit the runway of Jaffna's military airport, so only helicopters can fly in and out.

There are some forty thousand troops in the area who will also need fresh supplies of food and weaponry.

The government says the situation is under control, but both sides are fighting a propaganda war.

Phone lines are intermittent so it's hard to verify the claims by the two groups.

Heavy fighting has continued on the peninsula as well as around the northeast district of Trincomalee.