Misleading references to U.S. Special Forces in Sri Lanka

March 3, 2012: References in the press to U.S. Special Forces being stationed in Sri Lanka are misleading. Members of the U.S. military are assigned to work in the U.S. embassy in Colombo as part of the bilateral engagement between the United States and Sri Lanka, Embassy of the United States of America Colombo states in a press release.

The Embassy Defence Attache is the lead representative for the U.S. Department of Defense and those assigned to that office support programmes and training that enhance cooperation. Through U.S. Pacific Command, the embassy has contributed $9 million since 2009 toward projects such as renovating and rebuilding hospitals and schools in communities across Sri Lanka. The U.S. Military has recently participated in joint programs with Sri Lanka such as the Pacific Airlift Rally and Joint/Combined Exchange Training for medical and humanitarian assistance.