Aerial bombings on a children’s home at Vallipunam in Mullaitivu 17 years ago claimed the lives of 61 Tamils, including 54 schoolgirls.
The attack that has come to be known as the Sencholai massacre on 14 August 2006 also left more than 150 injured.
Remembrance events have taken place at the site, where relatives offered floral tributes and lit lamps to victims’ photographs.
Civil activist Shanmugaraja Jeevan said such memorials would continue in order for children to be told the history of the struggle by Tamils.
A distribution of coconut saplings also took place on the occasion.
A parallel event took place at Jaffna University, while MP M.K. Sivajilingam held a remembrance at his office.
The Air Force bombing of the facility occurred as a first aid and disaster workshop was taking place for the girls.
The then government spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella defended the attack by saying the place had been identified as an LTTE training camp.
Ceasefire monitors and relief agencies that visited the scene later confirmed no military training had taken place there.
