Army finalizing major island wide weapons audit

In the wake of mounting allegations linking some military personnel to organized crime, the Sri Lanka Army is in the final stages of conducting a comprehensive audit of all weapons and firearms stored at Army camps across the country, the Daily Mirror learns.

- DARSHANA SANJEEWA BALASURIYA

Army Spokesman Brigadier Waruna Gamage said that the audit is a complex and time-consuming process involving verification of serial numbers, inventory vouchers, and overall accountability.

"The audit is almost finalized. We have to check everything, the serial numbers, vouchers. Once completed, we will know exactly what types of weapons or firearms are missing," Brigadier Gamage said.

Earlier this year, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake revealed that 73 T56 assault rifles had gone missing from an Army camp and were believed to be in the possession of underworld groups, raising grave national security concerns.

Authorities have so far recovered 38 weapons, while 35 remain unaccounted for. At least 13 soldiers have been arrested in connection with that.