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Colombo - A visiting United Nations envoy to Sri Lanka expressed serious concern Thursday about civilians in the northern part of the country who have become trapped in the fighting between government troops and Tamil rebels.

UN Under-Secretary General on Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes opening a two-day visit to Sri Lanka by calling on Tamil rebels to permit civilians to move freely and allow them to leave the areas of fighting.

Chennai, Feb 18 : Students in Tamil Nadu took to the streets on Wednesday demanding the safety of the Tamil civilians caught in a crossfire between the Sri Lankan army and Tamil rebels in the island nation.

Wielding banners and placards, students of Madras University demanded the Indian Government immediate intervention.

"We are not against State and Central Governments, we are just against the war that is happening in Sri Lanka. We request the Government to stop the war that is prevailing in Sri Lanka," said Anand Babu, a student.

New Delhi, Feb 18 : A Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam delegation on Wednesday met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and sought India''s intervention in stopping the killing of civilians in Sri Lanka.

Tamil Nadu''s PWD Minister Duraimurugan led the delegation and discussed the current situation in the island nation.

The DMK team also asked the Centre to approach the United Nations to investigate the situation in Sri Lanka''s Tamil-dominated northern region and asked for the deployment of an international peace keeping force in Sri Lanka to maintain peace.

Colombo- UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes is due in Sri Lanka for a two-day visit to discuss the plight of civilians in the northern part of the country, where fighting between government troops and Tamil rebels has forced thousands to flee their homes, officials said Wednesday.

Holmes, who arrives on Thursday, will meet Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, among others, Bogollagama told reporters.

Colombo - UNICEF officials on Tuesday expressed serious concern about children caught up in the conflict in the northern part of Sri Lanka and urged both sides - the government and Tamil rebels - to provide protection to civilians.

"UNICEF reiterates the call it has made time and again to the government and the LTTE (Tamil rebels) that civilians, especially children, must be given every protection from the fighting," the UN agency said in a statement.