Category: Defense
Sri Lanka military says switched to unorthodox tactics to win war
June 02, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s armed forces developed new, unorthodox tactics and techniques to win the war against Tamil Tiger separatists, learning from 30 years of battlefield experience, senior officers said. Field commanders and troops learned to be flexible and sometimes ignored conventional wisdom in the almost three-year military campaign that crushed the […]
Sri Lanka welfare spending seen helping raise support for war
May 31, 2011 (LBO) – A government fertiliser subsidy given to farmers was a key factor in generating public support for Sri Lanka’s military campaign that defeated Tamil Tiger separatists, a defence official said. The Indian and Sri Lankan governments maintained close ties and clear communications lines at the highest levels that ensured any issues […]
”’ seminar skipped by key nations
May 30, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lanka is to hold an international seminar starting Tuesday to share lessons on its bloody defeat of Tamil rebels, but major nations have declined to send delegations amid war crime allegations. The island’s government said the massive military offensive that finally defeated the Tamil Tigers two years ago was […]
Sri Lanka warned against alienating India
May 25, 2011 (LBO) – India will destabilise Sri Lanka again if the island endangers her big neighbour’s geo-strategic interests in future just like New Delhi initially sponsored Tamil separatists, an international terrorism expert has warned. He referred to how India is seen to have supported violent groups in Pakistan and Bangladesh as well as […]
Sri Lanka anti-terror seminar faces boycott call
May 24, 2011 (AFP) – A leading human rights group urged governments on Tuesday to boycott a conference on fighting insurgents organised by Sri Lanka, which wants to share its experience of defeating separatist militants. Sri Lanka will host the three-day meeting “Defeating Terrorism – Sri Lanka Experience” in the capital Colombo next Tuesday and […]
Maldives reject World Cup terror plot theory
March 30, 2011 (AFP) – A Maldivian man arrested with the help of Interpol and initially linked to an alleged terror plot against the ongoing cricket World Cup has been cleared, an official said Wednesday. Iqbal Mohamed, 42, was arrested on March 10 at the Male International airport after arriving from Pakistan and was later […]
Maldives releases cricket WCup terror suspect
March 27, 2011 (AFP) – Maldives police said Sunday they had released a man suspected of plotting an attack on the cricket World Cup taking place in South Asia. Maldivian national Iqbal Mohamed, 42, was arrested on March 10 as he arrived at Male International airport from Pakistan following a tip-off from the international police […]
Sri Lanka cricket surveillance nets terror bomb suspect
Mar 16, 2011 (LBO) – A Maldivian wanted for a 2007 terror bombing in Male was arrested there after his transit through Sri Lanka was detected by an INTERPOL team deployed for Cricket World Cup security support. INTERPOL said in a statement the Maldives national Iqbal Mohamed was arrested less than six hours after his […]
Sri Lanka coast guard to deploy craft against Indian poachers
Mar 04, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s coast guard is to deploy it’s growing fleet of craft against Indian fishermen poaching in the island’s northern waters, an official said. The coast guard this week took delivery of a patrol boat built by the navy and is to get more craft, including four fast patrol boats […]
Pilot killed as Sri Lankan fighter jets collide
March 1, 2011 (AFP) – Two Sri Lankan fighter jets collided in mid-air during an aerobatics training exercise on Tuesday, killing one of the pilots. The pilots from both of the Israeli-built Kfir aircraft ejected, but one of them died while being taken to hospital, a government official said. The crash occurred as the aircraft […]
Sri Lanka navy foils smuggling mission to Australia
February 21, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lanka arrested 17 would-be illegal immigrants aboard a trawler allegedly heading to Australia, the navy said Monday. The boat was detected off the southern coast of Hambantota on Thursday and brought ashore for investigations, the navy said in a statement. Boats from Sri Lanka take up to three weeks […]
Sri Lanka offers amnesty to 50,000 army deserters
February 2, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s military on Wednesday offered to discharge all its 50,000 deserters without disciplinary action to mark the country’s independence anniversary. Officers and enlisted men who have been absent without leave can report to their regiments and then be released from their duties, military spokesman Major General Ubaya Medawala said. […]