Muslim militia lay down arms in Sri Lanka’s east

Former Muslim militants surrendered their weapons to the police in the island’s eastern district of Batticaloa under a special amnesty, the military said today.

Former Muslim militants surrendered their weapons to the police in the island’s eastern district of Batticaloa under a special amnesty, the military said on Sunday.

HT Image

“Factions of Islamic militants who bore weapons on grounds of various reasons delivered their weapons to the police on Saturday evening in Kattankudi,” the army said in a statement.

Sixteen T-56 automatic assault rifles, four .303 rifles, one shotgun, and one pistol was among the haul of weapons that were surrendered.

Muslim groups in the region had taken up arms in a bid to face the threat of Tamil Tigers in the area. Following the defeat of the Tigers in May, the government had asked Muslims to give up their weapons.