Air Vice Marshal (Retired) Sampath Thuyacontha, the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, announced that an order has been issued for the immediate arrest of all deserters from the security forces. Speaking to the press, Thuyacontha emphasized that both the military and police forces are fully capable of tracking down and apprehending deserters, particularly those with weapons training, in a very short time.
In response to questions raised by a journalist regarding active-duty military personnel’s potential involvement in criminal groups, the Defence Secretary confirmed that some soldiers have been found to have ties with criminals, largely driven by economic hardship and drug addiction. Thuyacontha acknowledged the issue and assured that stringent measures will be implemented to identify and arrest such individuals in the future.
The Defence Secretary's comments underscore the government's commitment to ensuring that all personnel in the security forces uphold the law and maintain the integrity of their respective roles. Further steps to address the issue of criminal ties among soldiers are expected to be outlined in the coming weeks.
