Daring feats at Ex-Cormorant Strike II
Yasaratne GAMAGE
The three-week joint military exercise, ‘Cormorant Strike II - 2011’
in Trincomalee, led by the Army on Saturday had one of the most daring
feats, ‘Hostage Rescue Mission’ at the Mcheyzer Stadium.
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Army personnel on a mock operation. Picture by Susantha
Wijegoonawardena |
The three-week ‘Ex - Cormorant Strike II - 2011’, comprised about
4,000 Army, Navy and Air Force personnel. It was largely headed by elite
Army Commandos and Special Forces as strategic forces that come directly
under the command of the Army Commander.
A large contingent of I Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment (VIR) and 20
Gajaba Regiment (GR) took part in this exercise for the second time
after the first such exercise took place in Mannar and Mullaitivu
several months ago.
The exercise, launched following a suggestion made by Defence
Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to Army Commander Lieutenant General
Jagath Jayasuriya, conducted mock raids on boat yards, taking of high
value targets, reconnaissance, surveillance on targets, airborne
operations, seaborne operations, amphibious landing, path-finding
missions, para jump into enemy strongholds, ambushes, search operations,
counter terrorist actions and hostage rescue mission under the direction
of Exercise Cormorant Strike II - 2011 Director and Special Operation
Commander Brigadier K.P.A. Jayasekara.
Over 110 officers of the Commando Regiment, 90 officers of the
Special Forces, 400 sailors and 150 Air Force personnel, in addition to
some 2,750 other ranks in the Army participated at this special training
which ended on Saturday.
Lieutenant General Jayasuriya along with Defence Attaches from US,
Russia, Japan, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh and other senior
tri-service officers witnessed the mock ‘Hostage Rescue Mission and
Counter Terrorist Action’, as part of a major component in the exercise
at Trincomalee. |
