Newest SL Army Contingent leaves for Mali

Sri Lanka Army’s newest contingent of 243 professionally-trained personnel in the Combat Convoy Company (CCC) to serve in the United Nations (UN) Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) left for Mali last week.

Chief of Defence Staff, Commander of the Army and Head of the National Operations Centre for Prevention of Covid-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO), General Shavendra Silva, with a few senior officers was at the airport for the send-off of the Sri Lankan CCC, comprising 212 Officers and Other Ranks, representing 12 Regiments of the Army, to the landlocked West African country.

The Commander spoke to Lieutenant Colonel Dinesh Bulathsinhala, Commanding Officer in the Mali-bound CCC, Phase III, Major L. Udagedara, Second in Command of the CCC Phase III and the members.

He shared a few thoughts with them and extended his best wishes to the CCC at the airport after a brief military formality before the boarding process began.

On April 10, the Mali-bound CCC presented a formal military salute to the Commander of the Army at the IPSOTSL premises at Kukuleganga.

A group of 31 Army personnel, belonging to the same CCC are expected to leave after a few days due to logistic requirements. In the meantime, 240 members of the CCC troops (Phase II) already serving Mali having completed their peacekeeping roles will return home soon under two phases.

Major General Senarath Bandara, Chief of Staff, Major General Priyanka Fernando, Director-General, General Staff, Major General Sanjaya Wanasinghe, Adjutant General, Brigadier Lasantha Rodrigo, Major General Indrajith Kandanaarachchi, Director-General Agriculture, Major General Swarna Bothota, Commandant, OCDC, Buttala, Major General Lal Chandrasiri, Overall Security Coordinator at Army HQ, Director Overseas Operation, Brigadier Dinesh Udugama, Centre Commandant, Gajaba Regiment and a few Senior Officers were also present.