March 20, Colombo (LNW): A sweeping operation has led to the arrest of over 1,600 deserters from Sri Lanka’s Tri-Forces, who have failed to return to their duties after abandoning their posts without legally resigning.
The operation, initiated under a directive from the Secretary of Defence, Air Vice Marshal (Retired) Sampath Thuyacontha, commenced on February 22 and has continued to gain momentum over the past few weeks.
As of yesterday (19), authorities have apprehended a total of 1,604 personnel who had deserted their posts. Of these, 1,444 were captured through coordinated efforts by the Tri-Forces, whilst 160 were detained by the police.
The Defence Ministry revealed that the majority of the deserters were from the Army, with 1,394 Army personnel arrested, alongside 138 from the Air Force and 72 from the Navy.
The crackdown is part of an ongoing effort by the Ministry of Defence to address the issue of absconding service members who have failed to formally discharge from their duties.
These deserters are considered to have violated military regulations, and the authorities are working to bring them to justice in line with national security protocols.
