Vikum Liyanage new Army Commander

Army Chief of Staff Major General Vikum Liyanage will be appointed the new Commander of the force from 01 June.

General Shavendra Silva will assume duties as new Chief of Defence Staff on the same day. General Silva will hold the position as the Army Commander till 31 May.

A committee was appointed to inquire whether there had been any lapses on the part of tri-forces during the incidents that took place at Mirihana on 31 March and the violence that erupted on 09 May in Colombo.

On 31 March, a mob attempted to storm the President’s private home at Mirihana. On 09 May, a number of politicians and their properties were attacked, looted and torched following pro-government mob attacks on a group of anti-government protesters at Galle Face.

The committee comprises Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda, Marshal of the Air Force Roshan Gunathilake and General R.M. Daya Ratnayake, all three are former commanders of the Navy, the Air Force and the Army, respectively.