We didn’t have enough soldiers to control rioters: Brigadier tells PCoI

The Army officers who were available in the camp were insufficient to handle the Anti-muslim riots in the North-western Province on May 12, 2019, after the Easter Sunday terror attacks, Brigadier Priyantha Dissanayake, who is in charge of the 143 brigades in North Western Province yesterday informed the PCOI probing Easter Sunday attacks.

Testifying before the Commission Brigadier Dissanayake said that there were only 600 soldiers under him to provide security for 7,888 square kilometres and it was impossible.

“We provided security for religious places and we asked Police to assist us. The two battalions of the 143 brigade were deployed to several areas but it was not enough to handle unrest,” he said.

The witness informed the Commission on 12 May 2019, Commander of the 16th battalion of the Gajaba Regiment in Puttalam informed him that a Muslim owned shop had been attacked in Chilaw. (YOSHITHA PERERA)