Over 12,000 army deserters receive legal discharge within three weeks

Colombo, May 12 (Daily Mirror) - Over 12,000 soldiers who had deserted the Sri Lanka Army have received legal discharges as of May 11 during an amnesty period declared by Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence.

The general amnesty is in effect for one month, from April 20 to May 20, 2024. During this period, Army absentees have been given the opportunity to legally discharge from the Army in coordination with their respective Regimental Centres.

As of the end of the first three weeks of this amnesty period, between April 20, 2024, and May 11, 2024, a total of 11,985 Army personnel who were absent without leave since December 31, 2023, and earlier have been temporarily discharged from their Regimental Centres.

The Army said 81 army deserters currently abroad and absent without leave are also among those who have received the legal discharge.