Sri Lanka kicks off joint exercise with foreign military in attendance

By APD writer Easwaran

**COLOMBO, September 4 (APD) ** – Sri Lanka on Monday kicked off a joint exercise with the participation of troops from several foreign countries, including China and India.

‘ Exercise - Cormorant Strike VIII - 2017 ’, a field training exercise, organized by the Sri Lanka Army, was launched in Minneriya in the east of the country with the participation of Sri Lankan tri-forces and 69 foreign participants.

Foreign participants from Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Russia, USA, Brazil, Sudan, Iraq, Israel, Oman, Turkey, Iran and Kenya were educated on the conduct of the exercise on the opening day, the Army media unit said.

More than 2675 Army, Navy and Air Force troops, including 69 foreign military participants and observers, mechanized infantrymen, commandos and special forces of the Sri Lanka Army, 370 naval and 197 air force personnel are taking part together with their foreign counterparts at the annual joint exercise.

The exercise transmits and shares the sea of experiences the Sri Lanka army has had gathered in the world’s biggest and most successful humanitarian operation before May 2009 when Sri Lanka defeated the Tamil Tiger rebels after 30 years of war.

The exercise is to be coupled with simultaneous mock seaborne and airborne operations of the navy and air force, and is slated to further enhance special operation capabilities of the army mechanized infantry columns, backed by naval troops to maintain combat readiness at all levels.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)