As the Tiger offensive continued, some of the retreating Sri Lankan soldiers attacked civilians and looted shops in Vavuniya town, according to the Vavuniya Traders Association. Reports say that they also shot and wounded a military policeman who attempted to prevent the looting.
Sri Lankan Air Force planes bombed Palliyady in Mullaitivu District on 3 November, killing six people, including Dharmarajah Krishnapillai, 65. Three children were among the seven wounded. Three civilians, including two year-old Gajanthini, were killed by LTTE shells at Thonikkal, near Vavuniya, on 18 November. During clashes between the LTTE and the Army the following day, a shell killed another three people and injured five at Kovilkulam.
In Mannar District, shells killed four people, including Krishanthini, 7, and injured six on 27 November. Following an order from the LTTE, thousands of people in Vankalai and Andankulam fled north-east to Madhu Church or north-west to Mannar town in mid-November.
The Tigers began shelling the Thallady Army camp, three miles south-east of Mannar town damaging a section of the camp. The Army retaliated by shelling Erukkalampiddy on Mannar Island. The people fled towards Pesalai, further west on the island. Kakkavattakandan area was shelled on 27 November killing S Mahalingam and N Narayanasamy.
As fighting continued, power supply to Mannar town was disrupted. Reports say 19 doctors in Mannar hospital left for Colombo fearing attacks on the town and patients in the hospital were discharged. There has been no fuel or food supply to Mannar since fighting intensified.