News Archive

Gajaba Regiment Seva Vanitha Unit Offers Schools

COINCIDING with the 25th Regimental anniversary, the Seva Vanitha Unit of the Gajaba Regiment (GR) organized a special welfare workshop for disabled GR soldiers and a scholarship project for school children of War Hero families at Senapura Army camp on the 1st of November. During the ceremony, 20 school children of War Hero families received scholarships sponsored by Sri Lankan Association of London East with coordination of senior GR Seva Vanitha member Mrs P.R.G.G. Zoysa.
Troops Recover Cyanide Powder Packs & Ammo

NORTH: ARMY troops during their search and clear operations on Friday (13) recovered one .22 weapon with a magazine, parts of a T-56 weapon, four M-16 magazines, fifty-eight rounds of 5.56 mm ammunition, three hand grenades, one claymore mine, six Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG), eight Arul bombs, five cyanide powder packs of 2 kg and one cyanide powder pack of 1 kg from the general areas of MATHIYAMADU and VELLAMULLIVAIKKAL.
Pakistani Air Chief Shares Views with Army Commander

A WARM WELCOME was extended to Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman, Chief of the Air Staff Pakistan Air Force at the Army Headquarters (AHQ) Colombo this morning (14) when he visited Army Headquarters to meet Commander of Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya. Commandant Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force and Colonel of the Regiment Sri Lanka Artillery Major General Jammika Liyanage received the visiting Pakistan Air Chief on his arrival at the entrance to the AHQ. Then the troops of Sri Lanka Artillery accorded a Guard Turnout and a Guard of Honour to Air Chief Marshal Suleman.
Twenty Micro Pistols & Ten 9 mm Pistols among Recoveries

NORTH: ARMY troops during their search and clear operations on Saturday (14) recovered five claymore mines, two T-56 weapons, three hand grenades, sixty-two anti personnel mines, two shotguns, one .22 rifle, two repeater guns, one magazine, one M-16 weapon, twenty micro pistols, one revolver, ten 9 mm pistols, one 5.5 weapon and two Multi Purpose Machine guns from the general areas of MIRUSUVIL, KILINOCHCHI, VISUAMADUKULAM, MULLIAVALAI, AKKARAYANKULAM and IRANAMADU.
New Bus Depot at Thunukkai Opened

A NEW bus depot was opened this afternoon (15) at Thunukkai, Kilinochchi in order to provide transport facility for newly resettled civilians in the area. The depot was declared open by Security Forces Commander Kilinochchi Major General Athula Jayawardene on the invitation of General Officer Commanding 65 Division at Thunukkai Major Genenral Mahinda Hathurusinghe. This marks the re-emergence of public transport service after 25 years.
U.S. Ambassador Opens Two Schools Rehabilitated by U.S. Government in Trincomalee District

THE U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Ms. Patricia A. Butenis, opened two schools in Mutur. The schools were rebuilt by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the development agency of the U.S. Government, as part of its program to help former conflict-affected communities return to normalcy as quickly as possible. Ambassador Butenis presided over the ceremonial openings of Amman Nagar and Arafa Nagar Schools in Trincomalee District, two of the five schools rehabilitated by USAID with funding from the U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM).
More Mortar Bombs & RPGs Found

WANNI, EAST & SOUTH: TROOPS on their search and clear operations in the general areas of ADAMPAN and SUGANDHIPURAM recovered thirty-eight anti personnel mines, eight 60 mm mortar bombs, one Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) and two hand grenades on Sunday (15). Meanwhile, troops in BATTICALOA recovered one hand grenade from KANDAKUDA Farm, the same day (15). In the meantime, troops recovered two locally-made weapons kept hidden in the UDAWALAWA National Park on Sunday (15).
Army in Mullaitivu Expedite De-Mining Process

THE authorities of the army in Mullaitivu informed a delegation of the Catholic Church who visited the area recently that they had expedited the de-mining process in the area though it would take them a few years to make the entire conflict area free of mines. The delegation of Caritas Sri Lanka, the social service arm of the Catholic Bishops Conference in Sri Lanka led by its National Director Fr. Damian Fernando who visited the area said thousands of IDPs had been resettled in the area.
Commander Reminds Soldiers of Their National Commitment

THE NEW SALARY increase and the special hard lying allowance granted by His Excellency the President Mahinda Rajapaksa to members of the Security Forces will be paid with their November salary, as it was promised by the President himself during his recent visit to Thunukkai. This was revealed by Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya addressing over 2000 soldiers including senior officers and other ranks serving under the Security Forces Headquarters-south (SFHQ-S) in Panagoda Monday (16) morning. Major General Lalith Daulagala, Commander SFHQ-S received the Army Commander on his arrival at Panagoda Army Base where no Army Chief had visited since 2003.
President Presents Scholarships to War Heroes' Children

PRESIDENT Mahinda Rajapaksa and First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa yesterday presented over 200 scholarships to children whose fathers sacrificed their lives for the protection of the sovereignty and terrorial intergrity of Sri Lanka. The scholarship scheme was implemented by the Seva Vanitha Organisation of the Defence Ministry in collaboration with the Bank of Ceylon (BoC). The beneficiary students who are studying from Grade 1 to 5 will receive Rs. 20,000 and children from Grade 6 to 9 will be entitled to Rs. 30,000. A Rs. 50,000 grant is also given to war heroe’s children studying from Grade 10 - 12.