After successfully defeating the LTTE, the Sri Lankan army is ready to play a significant role in the development of the country, Sri Lankan Army Chief of Staff Major General Mendaka Samarasinghe has said.
“Apart from its primary role it (the Sri Lankan army) will also play a big role in the development drive of the country in the future,” Samarasinghe said, on Friday September 18, in an address to the media at the Army Headquarters on the diamond jubilee celebrations of the Sri Lankan Army.
He said the strength of the Sri Lankan Army had grown more than ten fold since its inception in 1949 to date, as it got ready to celebrate its diamond jubilee as a victorious Army.
The top army official said the Army’s strength has reached around 2,00,000 as of today due to the rigorous recruitment drive carried out during the past two to three years to fulfil the battle requirement to defeat LTTE “terrorism“.
He said the Army will organise the diamond jubilee celebrations in October not only to showcase its achievement but also to encourage the youth to join the Army as a career and as a noble profession in the future.
