Army peacekeepers off to Lebanon
[November 24 2010]


<P>A contingent of 150 soldiers of the Sri Lanka army will be sent to
Lebanon as UN peacekeepers next week.

<P>Military Spokesman Major General Ubaya Medawala said this was the
first time Sri Lanka was sending army soldiers to Lebanon.

<P>The contingent is comprises of all regiments including the Mechanical
Infantry Regiment, Special Forces, the Commandos, Military Police,
Army Engineer Battalion, Medical Battalion and Engineer Services
Regiment.

<P>Sri Lanka  sent its first UN peacekeeping force, the six soldiers, in
1960 to Congo and later Sri Lankan peace keepers  were deployed as
observers in Congo, Sudan and Western Sahara.

<P>Over 1,000 Sri Lankan soldiers are serving as UN peacekeepers in
several countries including Haiti.