Category: Defense

April 5, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s military on Monday announced a fivefold increase in troops deployed on UN peacekeeping duties around the world, boosting its commitment to 5,000 soldiers. Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya said the defeat of Tamil Tiger separatists last May meant more troops could be sent on UN missions. Sri Lanka has […]

Feb 07, 2010 (LBO) – A 300 million US dollar credit line to be wrapped up during an official visit by Sri Lanka’s President Mahindra Rajapaksa to Russia, would modernise Sri Lanka’s military capability, a media report said. The Sunday Times newspaper said Moscow had offered to repair or replace all Russian origin military equipment […]

February 1, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s president on Monday sacked 12 senior military officers over what one army source said were fears of a coup after last week’s presidential elections. They included three senior major generals and two brigadiers accused of interfering in politics during campaigning for January 26 election, in which President Mahinda […]

January 7, 2010 (AFP) – The elderly father of Sri Lanka’s slain Tamil rebel chief Velupillai Prabhakaran has died in military custody, officials said Thursday. Thiruvenkadam Velupillai, believed to be in his early 80s, died on Wednesday at an army base outside Colombo, a military official said, adding that he had been in “protective custody” […]

December 23, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka threatened on Wednesday to take legal action against its former military chief over his claims that troops had committed war crimes against Tamil Tiger rebels.Former army chief Sarath Fonseka claimed this month that Sri Lankan troops shot dead surrendering Tamil leaders on the orders of the defence secretary […]

December 21, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s military said Monday it had seized a cargo ship suspected of being an arms smuggling vessel used by the defeated Tamil Tiger rebels at an undisclosed foreign port.Navy spokesman Captain Athula Senarath said the 90-metre (300-feet) long Princess Christina had been captured at a foreign port but refused […]

December 21, 2009 (AFP) – The United Nations has asked Sri Lanka to explain allegations by a former army general that surrendering Tamil rebel leaders were killed in cold blood in mid-May, the government said on Monday. The presidency in Colombo said the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Philip Alston, sought […]

BANGKOK, December 13, 2009 (AFP) – Thai authorities will bring charges against five men from eastern Europe detained in Bangkok with a plane full of North Korean weapons, premier Abhisit Vejjajiva said Sunday. “They committed two crimes, firstly they gave false information about their cargo, and secondly that cargo was found to be weapons,” he […]

December 13, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lankan troops shot dead surrendering Tamil Tiger leaders on the orders of the defence secretary, the former army chief who is now running for president said on Sunday.General Sarath Fonseka said Gotabhaya Rajapakse — the brother of the current president — instructed field commanders not to take prisoners in […]

December 7, 2009 (AFP) – A top United Nations envoy for children held talks with senior Sri Lankan officials on Monday after meeting former child soldiers, an official said.Major General Daya Ratnayake, Sri Lanka’s commissioner general of rehabilitation, said around 11,000 former rebel fighters, including children, were undergoing vocational training at state-run centres.Retired Major General […]

November 24, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s navy on Tuesday seized four fishing trawlers carrying 142 illegal migrants heading for Australia, a spokesman said.The boats were detected off the island’s southern coast while they were moving eastward in the direction of Australia, navy spokesman Athula Senarath said. “The passengers had paid large sums of money […]

November 24, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s former top army general Tuesday asked the Supreme Court to restore his security contingent which has been drastically scaled down following a spat with the president, officials said.General Sarath Fonseka petitioned the country’s highest court seeking the restoration of his 600-member strong bodyguard unit which has been slashed […]