Secretary to the Defence Ministry – Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) Sampath Thuyacontha, says an order has been issued for the immediate arrest of all deserters from the security forces.

Speaking at a recent media briefing, he said “We have drawn attention to the recent incidents. Many military personnel have been arrested. As a solution to that, there is actually a social problem here. We have confirmed through investigation that military officers who have illegally deserted the military before completing their full service period have a high probability of getting involved with the underworld.”

He further emphasized that deserters who receive weapons training for a short period, like a year or two, and then leave the military, are more likely to engage in criminal activities.

“We gave an order a few days ago to take action to arrest such people. We have provided facilities for arresting them through the military police. We have come to that decision,” he added.

He has also said that In line with government directives, the Ministry of Defence has initiated a systematic audit of firearms that were illegally issued for personal protection. This effort, supported by the tri-forces, has led to the recovery of almost all such firearms, with only a minimal number still outstanding, he added.