[Colleen Mcedwards, World News:] Fierce fighting is reported in Sri Lanka, where Tamil Tiger rebels are now within sight of the strategic city of Jaffna. The rebels are within a kilometer of the city limits, and they say they are ready to recapture their former capital. A rebel radio station is urging civilians to leave the city. Hundreds of people are said to be taking that advice and fleeing. We are joined now by CNN's Satinder Bindra, who is in the capital of Sri Lanka. Satinder, what information are you able to give us?
[Satinder Bindra, Cnn Correspondent:] Colleen, most of the military information is under very strict censorship. But the proceedings in Sri Lanka's parliament are not subject to censorship laws, and the leader of the opposition, Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, just a few moments ago made a statement. Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe has said he's very concerned now about the safety of some 40,000 Sri Lankan troops which are in the north. He's also said there are nearly 500,000 civilians in the Jaffna peninsula. He said in Colombo, there is great concern about their safety. Over the past few days, the secretary-general of the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross have express grave concerns about the safety of these civilians that are trapped there. I can tell you that fighting there has been intensifying. We have reports here there's heavy mortar fire in the region. Casualties on both sides are mounting, and Sri Lanka has just sent in more troops to the region. There are concerns here in Colombo, concerns which were raised in parliament about the racial harmony of the country. The Tamil Tigers are Tamil by origin. Most of the troops are Sinhala. So if anything happens in the north, people now in Colombo are fearing a terrible racial backlash here in Colombo. The government has stepped up its work on that front. But Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe now again warning the government that they should do something on this front to maintain a racial harmony in the country. Colleen?
[Mcedwards:] Satinder, are you able to say anything else about the nature of the fighting, how it's being carried out?
[Bindra:] What I can say about the fighting, Colleen, is that it's on the ground. There is mortar and artillery attacks from both sides. Sri Lanka has also been using air power. It says that air jets have been pounding rebel forces for the last two to three days. Yesterday, we were allowed to report that the Tigers were holding on to their positions. Today, we cannot tell you where exactly the Tigers are, at least from here in Colombo. Colleen?
[Mcedwards:] And Satinder, just remind us, if you would, of the significance of Jaffna for the Tamil Tigers.
[Bindra:] Jaffna has great significance, Colleen, for the Tigers. They held Jaffna until 1995, then the army wrested control of that town from the Tigers. Now the Tigers desperately want to take control of Jaffna. They see it as their cultural capital. The Tigers would like to make Jaffna the capital of their independent homeland. So if they do recapture it, it will be a great psychological victory for them. At the same time, it will be a great defeat for the Sri Lankan troops. So Jaffna is a huge prize for the rebel forces. Colleen.
[Mcedwards:] CNN's Satinder Bindra. END TO ORDER VIDEOTAPES AND TRANSCRIPTS OF CNN INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMMING, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE THE SECURE ONLINE ORDER FROM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com