About twenty-five-thousand soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) have deserted their ranks since the war began under the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime, media sources in Colombo quoted reports carried by the Sinhala weekly "Ravaya", published from Colombo. 15,000 soldiers have deserted ranks till January this year, an article based on a survey carried by Ravaya states.
SLA has been strictly enforcing checks on buses and transport services from battle front areas to south to nab deserting soldiers, according to the report.
Those who look like soldiers are also taken in for questioning by military police, the report adds.
About 700 soldiers have deserted from the SLA in two months, August and September, the article further states.
Superiors in the war front are said to be monitoring the activities of the soldiers under their control closely, the article adds.
6,749 SLA deserters were arrested and 1,500 of them had been sent to prison after court martial. Inquiry is being conducted against the remaining, according to Sri Lankan military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, who held a media briefing on Thursday, November 13.
The latest amnesty, of two-weeks, for deserted soldiers of the SLA to return for duty in battle front expired on Saturday November 15.
Those who fail to return to their ranks within the stipulated period would be arrested and prisoned after court martial, warned the Sri Lankan military spokesman.
Meanwhile, new recruitment drive to the SLA, commenced on October 1, would conclude on 31 December 2008.
The recruitment is being made in all camps of the SLA in the South.
