Army Commander evaluates security in Jaffna

Army Commander Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka, met Commander, Security Forces Headquarters Major General Mendaka Samarasinghe, Jaffna and senior ground commanders in 51, 52 and 55 Divisions yesterday morning during a visit to Jaffna, to assess the security situation there.

Major General Samarasinghe briefed the visiting Army Chief on the overall general security situation and concerns in the Peninsula. Divisional Commanders and respective ground commanders afterwards contributed to the discussion and told the Army Commander about arrangements now in place to receive more and more Wanni civilians entering the peninsula in the future.

To-date, an estimated 2000 displaced people have taken shelter in the peninsula after vacating Tiger-held areas in the Wanni.

Lieutenant General Fonseka emphasised the need to maintain the security measures in the region without leaving any room for the LTTE to infiltrate and cripple normalcy. He also discussed of facilitation of traffic on the newly-liberated A-9, Jaffna-Kandy Highway, once de-mining and removal of all LTTE body traps are brought to a completion. Lieutenant General Fonseka also wanted his ground commanders to conduct frequent searches in suspicious areas without causing any inconvenience to the public as fleeing Wanni Tigers or their proxies would stoop so low as to do anything disruptive to disturb peace and civil life.

Major General Mendaka Samarasinghe received the visiting commander and his senior officers from the Army Headquarters on arrival in Palaly.