Tri-forces and Police are continuing operations to arrest tri forces personnel considered as Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL).
Since the end of the last General Amnesty period that ended on December 31, 2016 authorities have arrested 1,500 deserters up to March 1.
According the military spokesman, Brigadier Roshan Seneviratne, three officers and 1,149 other ranks of the Army, 327 Navy and 21 Air Force deserters have been arrested so far. The authorities will continue to take legal action against all deserters.
The Ministry of Defence provided two General Amnesty periods last year for tri forces deserters to obtain legal discharge. During the last General Amnesty period, 34 officers and 8,843 other ranks considered as AWOL, reported to their respective services seeking legal discharge.