Muttur Government Divisional Secretariat M C M Sheriff told the BBC that more than 40 bus loads of civilians returned to Muttur by Thursday.

“We are not afraid to return, we will go back to our village” a Muttur villager said to Shandeshaya Correspondent R G Dharmadasa.

Thousands of Muslims were displaced during fighting between government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels in Eastern Town of Muttur after renewed heavy fighting in August.

By Thursday, more than 11000 people have returned to the town after spending more than a month in relief camps said the Presidential secretariat.

Recent heavy rains have flooded the tents, raising fears of disease, and many people want to return home before the start of the Muslim fasting month in September   Country Director of Muslim Aid

The return of refugees heavily increased after the Sri Lankan army captured Sampur, a nearby town to Muttur, which was under the control of the Tamil Tiger rebels, early this week.

Speaking to Associated Press, Amjad Mohamed-Saleem, country director for international relief group Muslim Aid, which runs 11 of the 23 camps in Kantale, said that “Recent heavy rains have flooded the tents, raising fears of disease, and many people want to return home before the start of the Muslim fasting month in September”.

“We have reopened the schools, divisional secretariat and re-established the electricity in Muttur” Minister of Resettlement Rishard Badurdeen said to BBC Sandeshaya.

"Still more than 20000 civilians are in refugees camps in the Kantale town, in Trincomalee District", said the Muttur Divisional Secretariat M C M Sheriff.

An upsurge in fighting since December in the north and east has claimed more than 1,500 lives in Sri Lanka and made over 200000 displaced.