Rajapaksa hails careful attacks by air force on LTTE target

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa today lauded the role of Air Force in providing able support to the advancing troops which is now on its final leg of capturing the remaining rebel areas.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa today lauded the role of Air Force in providing able support to the advancing troops which is now on its final leg of capturing the remaining rebel areas.

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"In spite of the relentless attacks at the enemy, they never targeted schools, churches, Hindu shrines, hospitals or orphanages. They were always accurate on their target and keen on mission," the President said.

"Sri Lanka Air Force at all times safeguarded our motherland's unity, dignity and sovereignty in each and every adverse circumstance," Rajapaksa said at the annual colours awarding ceremony of the Lankan Air Force at the Trincomalee Base.

"The heroic forces, unassailable in high skies, undefeatable in the battlefield and courageous in the task entrusted, totally demolished the much-feared air power of the LTTE terrorists," he said.

As many as 30 Air Force officers from No: 02 Fighter Airborne Squadron, No: 04 Helicopter Squadron, No: 09 Helicopter Squadron, No: 10 Fighter Jet Squadron and Air Force regiment have been awarded colours by the President.

"The Air Force officers, with an untarnished image and of unblemished characters, have always been flawless in their strategies safeguarding the accolades they earned in air as one of the most civilised and humanitarian forces in the battlefield," he added.