Sri Lanka arrests over 700 army deserters 

By APD Writer Easwaran

COLOMBO, August 19 (APD) -- The Sri Lankan military said on Saturday it had arrested over 700 army deserters in a special operation.

An army spokesman told APD News that the operation to arrest deserters will be conducted for a week.

The spokesman said that on Friday around 724 army deserters had been arrested.

The army has in the past declared amnesty periods for the deserters to surrender and avoid disciplinary action.

However the army said that with the amnesty period ending operations had been launched to arrest the deserters.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)