Media Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa said yesterday that only LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, can explain the reason for two of his senior political wing members surrendering.

Asked, at yesterday’s Cabinet press briefing, held in Colombo, if it was not strange that only two members of the LTTE’s political section, Daya Master and George had surrendered to the army and none from its military wing, he said "You will have to ask that from Prabhakaran. Only he will be in a position to explain" and added that it was a matter of time before senior members of the military wing also laid down their arms and embraced peace.

The number of civilians who have crossed over from the No Fire Zone in Mullaitivu to government controlled areas in the past few days, he said was around 107,000,while about 60,000 had come earlier.

Questioned if he knew the numbers being held by the LTTE, Yapa said that it was less than 15,000.

"There is a misconception that the government was carrying out military operations in the No Fire Zone, when in fact it was a humanitarian mission. It was the government that created the Zone and not the LTTE or any international organization. The problem is that the LTTE has crept into the area, along with its artillery and was using civilians as human shields."

Yapa said that the LTTE controls only a small area of the No Fire Zone and the army would capture it very soon, but declined to give a time frame.