Sri Lanka Army Special Forces Regiment
The Special Forces Regiment (SF) (Sinhala: විශේෂ බලකාය Visēsha Balakāya;) is a special forces unit of the Sri Lanka Army. Founded in 1986 as a combat tracker team , it was established as a regiment in 1988, and later expanded into a brigade. The unit specialises in a number of roles including counter-terrorism, direct action and covert reconnaissance. Much like the British Army Special Air Service, much of the information about the SF is highly classified due to the secrecy and sensitivity of its operations.
Special Force Regiment
December 1988 – Present
Four Regiments (Fifth Regiment 2009-2012)
SF
අධිෂ්ඨානයෙන් අභීතව අරමුණ කරා
Adhisthanayen Abhithawa Aramuna Kara
(Sinhala: To the target with determination and bravery
Determined, Dared and Done
Brigadier Thushara Mahalekamge
General Mahesh Senanayake
Major General G. Hettiarachchi
Colonel A.F. Lafir
Colonel Raj Vijayasiri
Lieutenant Colonel J.A.L Jayasinghe
Major J.Y Mohotti
The Special Forces Regiment currently consists of four regular battalions organized into the Special Forces Brigade, under the operational command of I Corps forming its Special Operations Force along with the Commando Brigade.[1]
History[edit]
With the escalation of the Sri Lankan Civil War in the mid 1980's the Sri Lanka Army formed a "Combat Tracker Team" in 1985 to conduct direct action and covert reconnaissance against LTTE units operating in the thick jungles in the northern part of the island in small groups. At its inception this unit was made up of two officers and 38 men under the command of Major Gamini Hettiarachchi from the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps. The Combat Tracker Team became the reconnaissance element of the short lived Special Service Group (SSG) and was renamed as the Rapid Deployment Force (RDF) (Special Force) in 1985 which operated independently, during which time Lieutenant (later Colonel) A. F. Lafir joined the RDF from the Gajaba Regiment. Following several successful operations, the RDF was gradually expanded to four squadrons. On 10 December 1988, the RDF (SF) was officially designated as the 1 Special Forces Regiment (1 SF) Naula in the Central province under the command of Major G. Hettiarachchi. With the view of increasing its mobility and stroke capacity 1 SF formed Combat Rider Team with assistance from South Africa. The 2 Special Forces Regiment (2 SF) was formed on 18 February 1994 at Monkey Bridge Camp in Trincomalee with detached B, D, and E squadrons of 1 SF under the command of Major Raj Wijesiri. 2 SF soon raised a Combat Diver Team to specializing in amphibious warfare and later moved to Nayaru on the eastern seaboard. On 18 July 1996 the 25 Brigade HQ of the Sri Lanka Army at its base at Mullaitivu came under attack in what is known as the Battle of Mullaitivu. 1SF and 2SF were dropped by helicopter to spearhead in the rescue operation which reached the base on 23 July. Both units suffered heavy casualties including the commanding officer of 1SF, Lieutenant Colonel A. F. Lafir who was posthumously awarded the Parama Weera Vibhushanaya. In August 1996, the 3 Special Forces Regiment (3 SF) was formed with personal from the other two SF regiments to develop amphibious warfare capability to counter activity of the Sea Tigers, it was soon re-tasked to carryout long-range penetration missions in deep into LTTE controlled areas. This resulted in the start of Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) concept in September 1996 with 3 SF based at Vavuniya under the command of Major Mahesh Senanayake. 3 SF rescinded J and K Squadrons and created M Squadron. In December 1996, the Special Forces Brigade was formed bringing 1SF, 2SF and 3SF under its operational command. On 15 June 2008, 4 Special Forces Regiment (4 SF) was raised at SF Training School in Maduru Oya under the command of Major J.P.C. Peiris support the demands of the new northern offensive.