The ongoing three-week long joint military Exercise, ‘Cormorant Strike II - 2011’ in Trincomalee, led by the Army on Saturday (03) had its one of the most daring feats, ‘Hostage Rescue Mission’ in the McHeyzer Stadium in the presence of a distinguished gathering of invitees, including the Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya.
The three-week long ‘Ex - Cormorant Strike II - 2011’, comprised of about 4000 of Army, Navy and Air Force Officers and Other Ranks is largely headed by elite Army Commandos and Special Forces as strategic forces that come directly under the command of the Commander of the Army. In addition a large contingent of I Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment (VIR) and 20 Gajaba Regiment (GR) is taking part in this Exercise, for the second time after the first such Exercise took place in Mannar and Mullaitivu areas several months ago.
The Exercise, launched following a suggestion made by Secretary Defence Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa to the Commander of the Army conducted mock ‘Raids on boat yards’, ‘Taking of high value targets’, ‘Reconnaissance’, ‘Surveillance on targets’, ‘Airborne operations’, ‘Seaborne operations’, ‘Amphibious landing’, ‘Path-finding missions’, ‘Para jump into enemy strongholds’, ‘Ambushes’, ‘Search operations’, ‘Counter terrorist actions and Hostage Rescue Mission’ and suchlike during this period under direction of Brigadier K.P.A. Jayasekara, Director, ‘Exercise Cormorant Strike II - 2011’ and Special Operations Commander.
Over 110 officers of the Commando Regiment, 90 officers of the Special Forces, 400 sailors and 150 Air Force personnel, in addition to some 2750 Other Ranks in the Army are undergoing this special training scheduled to end by Sunday (4) evening. As strategic forces, both the Commando Regiment and the Special Forces before formal commencement of the Exercise proper underwent several other training phases, related to naval encounters in Kankesanthurai and Mullaitivu sea areas, themed on hyphotetical conduct of embarking on a sailing ship, etc.
Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya along with Defence Attachés from US, Russia, Japan, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh and other senior tri-service officers witnessed the mock ‘Hostage Rescue Mission and Counter Terrorist Action’, as part of a major component in the whole of the Exercise at Trincomalee on Saturday (3).
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