(UTV|COLOMBO) – Captain H. W. D Jayawickrama of 11 Sri Lanka Light Infantry from Polonnaruwa and Corporal S. S. Wijekumara of 1 Mechanised Infantry Regiment from Thalakolawewa, Polpithigama of the Sri Lankan Army Contingent in Mali laid down their lives on Friday (25) following an explosion while performing their United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping Mission duties in Keerana area after their WMZ convoy was attacked by a rebel group using an Improvised Explosive Device (IED).
Corporal M. G. S. Kumarasinghe of 1 Sri Lanka Engineers from Panwilathenna, Lance Corporal K. C. Pushpakumara of 1 Sri Lanka Engineers from Kannathota and Lance Corporal C. H. M. S. Chandrasekara of 12 Sri Lanka Engineers from Kekunawa, Maho who sustained injuries in the same IED attack were airlifted for treatment to the Level 2 Hospital at Gao, the commercial city on the banks of River Niger, the Army Media Unit stated.
An armoured vehicle, WMZ carrying Sri Lankan Peacekeeping troops on patrol in the general area of Douentza in West Africa’s trouble-torn Mali, came under a remote-controlled Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack around 6.30 AM early yesterday morning (25) in local Mali time.
The attack on the WMZ and the convoy which was returning after a mission killed one Sri Lankan Army Captain, one Corporal and injured three more Sri Lankan soldiers.
The attack caused damages to the ill-fated WMZ vehicle and another that followed behind. UN Peacekeeping Mission Headquarters in Mali is conducting investigations into the incident.
[alert color=”faebcc” icon=”fa-commenting”]Keeping up to date with breaking news while you are on the move is now simple with UTV Alerts [textmarker color=”8a6d3b”]Type REG UTV and send to 77000[/textmarker] on your Dialog, Airtel, or Hutch mobile connection[/alert]