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Sri Lanka Army

Defender of the Nation

Joint Chinese - Sri Lanka Army Ex-'Silk Route - 2015' Begins

The first phase of the 2nd joint Sri Lanka Army - People’s Liberation Army of China ‘Exercise - Silk Route - 2015’ with the blessings of the Commander of the Army, got off the ground this morning (22) at Officer Career Development Centre (OCDC) at Buttala after a brief inaugural ceremony, headed by Major General Jagath Dias, Chief of Staff as the Chief Guest.

Exercise - Silk Route - 2015,’ organized by Directorate of Training at the Army Headquarters under three phases; Phase 1 - (June 22-28) at Commando Regiment (CR) Training School, Uva-Kudaoya, Phase 2 - (June 28-July 5) at CR Regimental Headquarters, Ganemulla and Phase 3 - (July 5 - July 13) at Special Forces Training School at Maduruoya, focuses largely on weapon handling, VVIP protection study, live firing, lane firing, sniper firing, body protection drills, backup vehicle movement and training, body protection formation, ambush drills, reconnaissance techniques, skill firing, special mission planning, combat tracking techniques, situation training exercise, jungle warfare and basic battle skills, vehicle ambush drills, aircraft and building option training, etc.

The first stage of the ‘Exercise - Silk Route - 2015’ was conducted in China earlier this year between March 29 and April 17 with the participation of 42 Commandos and Special Force soldiers from Sri Lanka, following successful negotiations that got underway between both Sri Lankan and Chinese Armies.

The Chinese group, led by Lieutenant Colonel Qi Qiang of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), is comprised of 43 Army personnel of the PLA and a similar number from the Sri Lanka Army’s Commando Regiment and Special Forces is engaged in the Exercise. The closing ceremony of the ‘Exercise - Silk Route - 2015’ is to take place on July 13 at the Special Force Training School.     

Major General B.A Perera, Director General General Staff, Major General Mano Perera, Commander, Army Training Command and several senior officers were also present.