COLOMBO, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan Army said on Friday that at least four civilians were injured when the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) fired at them on Thursday in the last hold of the rebels in the northeast coast of the country.

    Army officials said two children and two women were injured in the shooting Thursday when a group of civilians attempted to leave the clutches of the rebels and reach the Army's 58 division in Mullaittivu.

    The government says some 70,000 civilians are currently being held by the LTTE as human shields in the present military clashes.

    The Army said the indiscriminate fire from the rebels had caused injuries to civilians.

    Many more other civilians had to turn back and return to the LTTE held-areas once again in fear of their lives as a result of the shooting.

    International aid agencies have blamed the LTTE for holding the civilians against their wishes and have urged them to allow the freedom of movement.

    Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse this week accused the LTTE of holding the civilians until such time the LTTE leaders are able to flee for safety in the face of military advance.

    Some 36,000 civilians have already fled the rebel area, government officials say.

    The military said the military offensive against the LTTE is entering its final stage as the rebels have been cornered in an area less than 60 sq km in Mullaittivu.

    The LTTE sought to set up a separate homeland for the minority Tamil community in the north and east claiming discrimination at the hands of the Sinhalese majority ruling community.

    More than 70,000 people have been killed in the country since the LTTE launched their armed campaign in the mid-1980s.