Special Forces destroying LTTE morale, combat power

COLOMBO: In Sri Lanka, one of the more successful units of the army are the “Deep Penetration Units,” that go into rebel territory to collect information, and destroy rebel morale and combat power. These are Long Range Recon Patrol (LRRPs). They belong to the Sri Lankan Special Force Regiment, which was established in 1986.

A LRRP unit, of a hundred or so men, was organised in the 1990s. The unit’s existence and the names of those in it, were kept secret. That’s because the LTTE was expert at hunting down and assassinating anyone they wanted (including Heads of State and senior military commanders.)

Initial operations of the LRRPs were very successful, but LTTE spies found out about the LRRP unit, and who was in it. About 80 members of the LRRP unit were subsequently killed by the LTTE, and the LRRP unit was disbanded. But in the last few years, the LRRP unit, has been reformed and is back in action.

Sri Lanka has several Special Forces type units. There are three Army Commando Regiments, three Army Special Forces Regiments (SF), the Navy Special Boat Squadron (SBS), the Air Force Special Force and the Police Special Task Force. All of these are small organisations, full of carefully selected men (and a few women), who train hard, and are usually found heavily involved whenever there is a successful operation against the LTTE.

In the last five years, India and the United States has sent many of their own Special Forces troops to Sri Lanka to help train their Sri Lankan counterparts.

(Strategy Page/Sept 4)