Our Forces lead global war on terror

Sri Lankan Armed Forces have brought unprecedented fame to the country. Terrorism which the most powerful Armies in the world failed to crush, was made to kneel down by our Forces, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said.

The terrorists whom our Forces are fighting, have been designated as the most ruthless outfit of the world. Therefore, the Sri Lankan Armed Forces give the lead and strength for all Armed Forces in the world in their war against terrorists, President Rajapaksa said. He was speaking at the Colours Award Ceremony of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) in Trincomalee on Saturday.

"I remember, it was in 1986 that the terrorists captured Tennamarachchi, Velvetiturai and Vadamarachchi areas in Jaffna, confining our Armed Forces only to the Jaffna Fort," the President said.

He said our Forces fought an extremely difficult battle while being inside the Fort. "Supplies by sea or overland were denied to them. At this critical juncture it was the Air Force which rendered a yeoman service to our besieged Forces. The Air Force dared to undertake supplies to the Jaffna Fort and evacuate the injured soldiers.

The gallantry displayed by the Air Force was remarkable." he said. "Whenever our military camps in the North and East were threatened, the Air Force came to their rescue. An officer who rendered a commendable service to the country at that time is your present Commander who gives leadership to you today.

Transport of troops and supplies, and air and sea surveillance are other prerogatives of the Air Force. The hawk-eyed Air Force could cast its spell over the most ruthless terrorist outfit to make it bow down before it.

It was the air attacks which sank the enemy suicide craft, and floating warehouses in the recent past," President Rajapaksa said. "If I sum up the support performance of our Air Force, I would say it admirably discharged its duty of safeguarding the territorial integrity and the pride of the motherland. The terrorists therefore did utmost to destroy our Air Force," he said.

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