Colombo - The military has shrunk a "safety zone" for civilians in the north and eastern part of Sri Lanka where government troops are continuing their military operations to rescue thousands of civilians, the defence ministry said Friday.

The zone has now been shrunk to an area of 2.5 square kilometres in the coastal area of the Mullaitivu district, 395 kilometres north east of the capital.

The area is meant for civilians to gather there and ensure that they are not caught up in the fighting between government forces and Tamil rebels who are fighting in the area. However, rebels have claimed that military attacks have taken place in the safe zone.

Originally there was a safety zone of 20 square kilometres in the rebel-held area, but now the total area controlled by the rebels has been reduced to six square kilometres out of which 2.5 sq km will be the new safe zone.

The government estimates that 20,000 civilians are still trapped in the area, but the UN agencies say there are about 50,000 civilians there.

The military says they are on the final phase of a major military operation to crush the rebels who have been fighting for an independent homeland for minority Tamils in the north and eastern parts of the country for the last 25 years. (dpa)