Army played unparalleled role - Commander

Ranil WIJAYAPALA

There is no other force which can challenge and stand parallel to the commitments and sacrifices made by the Sri Lanka Army to achieve the magnificent victory achieved by Sri Lanka in totally eliminating LTTE terrorism, Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka said yesterday.

Addressing officers and other ranking personnel at the Victory Parade held at the Army headquarters yesterday to mark the victory achieved by the Security Forces, the Army Commander said it was with the sacrifice of lives of 190 officers and 5,200 other rankers the Army was able to achieve this victory.

He said the 27,000 soldiers were wounded or disabled during the intense battle against the LTTE.

"The Sri Lanka Army's contribution to this outstanding victory is more than 96 percent to that contributed by the entire nation," the Army Commander said.

He said during this war the Sri Lanka Army had killed more than 22,000 Tiger terrorists and had captured 9,000 cadres alive.

"We were able to destroy more than 70 percent of the Sea Tiger assets and Tiger air power due to operations launched by the Sri Lanka Army," the Army Commander said.

Army Commander General Fonseka was the chief guest at the Victory Parade to mark the total liberation of the country from LTTE terrorism.

The General Officer Commanding the 53 Division Major General Kamal Gunaratne commanded the Victory Parade which was held with the participation of 50 officers 1,201 other rankers.

All field commanders from all offensive Divisions and Task Forces were given the Army Commander's commendations for their contribution to the victory.

Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army Major General G.A. Chandrasiri, Jaffna Security Forces Commander Major General Mendaka Samarasinghe, 57 Division GOC, Major General Jagath Dias, Overall Operation Commander Anuradhapura and former 59 Division GOC Major General Nandana Udawatta, 53 Division GOC Major General Kamal Gunaratne, 55 Division GOC Brigadier Prasanna de Silva, Task Force III Commander Brigadier Satyapriya Liyanage, 58 Division GOC Brigadier Shavendra Silva, 59 Division GOC Brigadier Chagie Gallage, Task Force II Commander Brigadier Rohana Bandara, Task Force IV Commander Colonel Nishantha Wanniarachchi and Task Force VIII Commander Colonel G.V. Ravipriya received the Army Commander's commendation at this victory parade.