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UN official stopped from entering North by Defence Ministry travel restrictions

A United Nations official was stopped from entering the North on Wednesday, due to the Ministry of Defence's newly re-introduced travel restrictions, requiring all foreign citizens to seek prior permission from the Ministry to enter the Tamil region in the North of the island.

Beth Crawford, the country representative for the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), was turned away at Omanthai check point, reports Sri Lanka's Sunday Times.

Crawford, who was appointed to Sri Lanka in July 2013, was reportedly on her way to Kilinochchi to mark World Food Day, on the invitation of the Northern Provincial Council Agriculture Minister P. Aingaranesan.

See related article: Foreign citizens to need MoD permission to travel to North (15 October 2014)

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