US FORCES STATIONED IN SRI LANKA: PENTAGON
US Special Forces teams are currently stationed in five South Asian countries including Sri Lanka as part of the counter-terrorism co-operation with these nations, a top Pentagon commander has disclosed.
These teams have been deployed by US Pacific Command as part of its effort to enhance their counter-terrorism capabilities, in particular in the maritime domain, Admiral Robert Willard, the PACOM Commander said yesterday.
“We have currently special forces assist teams – Pacific assist teams is the term – laid down in Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, as well as India,” Willard told lawmakers at a Congressional hearing in response to a question on co-operation with India on counter-terrorism issues. “We are working very closely with India with regard to their counter-terrorism capabilities and in particular on the maritime domain but also government to government, not necessarily DOD (Department of Defence) but other agencies assisting them in terms of their internal counter-terror and counterinsurgency challenges,” Willard said. Willard said, Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (Let) is a very dangerous organisation.
It not only has very good operational security, but also a lot of international design in terms of their aspirations. “So it is a very important threat, and we’re working very closely with the nations in the region to help contain it,” he said. The PACOM Commander was responding to a question from Congressman Joe Wilson as to what effort is being made to counter threat from LeT. In his prepared statement, Willard told lawmakers that the US and India are working together on contain LeT. “Responsible for many attacks in India, including the horrific attacks into Mumbai, LeT is headquartered in Pakistan, affiliated with al-Qaeda and other VEOs, and contributes to terrorist operations in Afghanistan and aspires to operate against Asia, Europe and North America,” Willard said.
He said Pacific Command’s Indian Engagement Initiative that resourced and hosted Mumbai counter terrorist specialists for training exercises and exchanges throughout the US, together with capacity-building activities with South Asian partners are mainly focused on containing LeT and contributing to CT self-sufficiency of the sub-region’s militaries. (PTI)
Latest Headlines in Sri Lanka
- NPP presents 7-point pledge on Easter Sunday Attack to Cardinal Ranjith April 18, 2024
- Dialog Axiata to acquire Bharti Airtel’s telecom operations in Sri Lanka April 18, 2024
- IMF ready to support Sri Lanka’s discussions with bondholders April 18, 2024
- Sri Lankan among NASA’s new crew for next simulated Mars journey April 18, 2024
- Court extends enjoining order blocking Sirisena from SLFP chairmanship until May 9 April 18, 2024
These people are in sl to spy india and south asian emerging super power china. gov. must keep an eye on them always.
they’ve came here to learn how did we fight & defeat the tamil terrors completely…
pentagon. first thy come with diplomacy secon thy start war with us.never never trust.westenpolitic. we must join with china. hangry indian is undermind.prowestern. never givea chance to amaricnforces.evn oneday landing. ihope our defence minister,knows how to tekel.world terrorism.without westrn power.
Why you have to fight terrorism. They are humens like all other people. IF you fight them the chances are very high that you have a humenright vialation case on your neck with UN.
So please let every terriost live in peace and let them do anything for the sake of humenrights.
may be the amarican forces, still seaching the world most wanten terrorist V.P.
Ha, ha, the biggest traitor, Pillayan, the blogger, admits that VP is alive !!!!!!
mahesh you can cry further,you wiill never ever get your bloody eelarm in srilanka…
Do we need these so-called US Special Forces Assist Team, when we have totally destroyed the brutal terrorists LTTE for good, through our own initiative, military skill and home-made solution, which was far superior to US SFAT or anyother US team?
US military is still struggling in Afghanistan after 10 years, and they are no better off than when they started the invasion of Afghanistan. In fact, they have made an utter mess of their occupation, hated by Afghan citizens. US war crimes and crimes against humanity in Afghanistan alone, cry to high heaven for justice! They have killed brutally thousands of innocent Afghan civilians, men, women and children and pass-it-off glibly as “co-lateral damage”, a term they have coined themselves, which makes it sound as if it is alright.
IT IS NOTHING LESS THAN GENOCIDE!
USA IS FALSELY ACCUSING SL OF GENOCIDE, WAR CRIMES ETC, WHEN THE REAL WAR CRIMINALS ARE USA, PENTAGON AND CIA!
UNSG AND UNHRC LEADER ARE TOTALLY INEPT IN BRINGING-TO- TASK THE EVIL USA FOR ITS GROSS WAR CRIMES, CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY AND GENOCIDE. THIS IS BECAUSE THEY ARE PUPPETS OF USA. THEY ARE TRYING TO DIVERT ATTENTION FROM USA’S GUILT, BY PERSISTENT FABRICATED EVIDENCE AGAINST US THROUGH DIASPORA LTTE/TAMILS.
We do not need any US Forces to be stationed in SL, in their Embassy or elsewhere in SL, thank you very much! It is a violation/threat to our sovereignty! I am amazed that Hon SL President ever allowed this. He must forthwith evict them as ‘Persona non Grata.’
According to Arap Karma, US is SL’s genocidal Government’s best friend.
Like it or not, the US has military stationed in SL.
The US is sponsoring a resolution in the UNHRC which will ensure the continuation of the ongoing structured genocide for years to come.
Mr Dias is misbehaving again in cyberspace by ‘shouting’ (use of upper case). He is piqued by hte presence of his pals, the genocidal forces of the US within the confines of SL.
Parakrama is a diaspora Tamil, who with other diaspora Tamils are continually bombarding world websites with disinformation. The govt and SL Army General has replied that there are no US army base in SL. There is a small US squad to attend anti-terrorist training sessions in SL along with small squads from other Asian countries.