ICRC has expressed concern over civilian casualties of the conflict

An ICRC statement said that since the start of the year civilian casualties had gone up as the number of indiscriminate attacks had grown in the north, east and south of the country.

"Civilians and persons no longer taking direct part in the hostilities, such as sick, wounded or captured soldiers, must be protected in all circumstances under international humanitarian law," head of ICRC delegation in Colombo, Toon Vandenhove, said.

Civilians and persons no longer taking direct part in the hostilities, such as sick, wounded or captured soldiers, must be protected in all circumstances under international humanitarian law Toon Vandenhove, ICRC

Over 80 civilians were killed, in the north and the south, since the government announced withdrawing from the truce agreed with the LTTE.

While the Tamil Tigers are accused of carrying out most of the attacks, security forces are accused of launching a claymore mine attack on a bus carrying school children in the LTTE-held area.

The military denies the accusation.

The ICRC said intensified fighting between government troops and the LTTE had increased the number of displaced persons and put humanitarian workers at greater risk.

The Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tiger rebels both say that they inflicted heavy casualties on each others' forces in fierce fighting in the north on Friday.