SL troops killed in Mali: Captain, Corporal promoted posthumously

The two Sri Lankan soldiers who were on peacekeeping force under the UN flag had been promoted posthumously, the Army said.

“Captain H.W.D Jayawickrama and Corporal S.S. Wijekumara, who were killed in Mali following an attack on the convoy they were travelling in, were posthumously promoted to the rank of Major and Sergeant respectively,” Army Spokesman Brigadier Sumith Athapattu said.

He said that in addition to promotion and compensation, the two peacekeepers would also receive compensation from the UN.

Meanwhile, the Brigadier said the bodies of the deceased peacekeepers would be flown to Sri Lanka within three or four days.

Captain Jayawickrama of 11th Sri Lanka Light Infantry from Polonnaruwa and Corporal Wijekumara of First Mechanized Infantry Regiment from Thalakolawewa, Polpithigama of the Sri Lankan Army Contingent in Mali were killed Friday morning following an explosion, while performing their UN Peacekeeping Mission duties in Keerana after their WMZ convoy was attacked by a rebel group using an Improvised Explosive Device (IED).

Corporal M.G.S Kumarasinghe from Panwilathenna, Lance Corporal K.C Pushpakumara from Kannathota and Lance Corporal C.H.M.S Chandrasekara from Kekunawa in Maho were also injured in the attack.

The Spokesman said Corporal Kumarasinghe had sustained serious injuries and the other two were recovering.(Darshana Sanjeewa)