Third CCC bound for Mali present formal salute to Army Chief

The new contingent of 243 Army personnel of the Combat Convoy Company (CCC) of the Sri Lanka Army, set to leave for Mali to serve in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission (MINUSMA) last week presented a formal military salute to the Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army, General Shavendra Silva at the Institute of Peace Support Operations Training Sri Lanka (IPSOTSL) at Kukuleganga.

The Sri Lankan CCC, comprising 20 Officers and 223 Other Ranks representing 12 Regiments of the Army, is scheduled to depart for Mali, the landlocked West African country on April 20 (1st Group). The Sri Lankan CCC members already serving in Mali meanwhile are expected to return home.

Thursday’s military ceremony at Kukuleganga got to a start soon after Chief Guest, General Shavendra Silva, arrived at the IPSOTSL main entrance to be saluted in a formal Guard Turnout after he was welcomed by Brigadier Sanjeewa Fernando, Commandant IPSOTSL.

Afterwards, Brigadier Dinesh Udugama, Centre Commandant, Gajaba Regiment welcomed the Commander and invited him to receive the Guard of Honour salute in the parade ground.

The Mali-bound 20 officers and 223 other ranks accordingly marched into the ground and saluted the Commander soon after he reviewed the parade at the invitation of the Parade Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Dinesh Bulathsinhala, Commanding Officer in the Mali-bound CCC, Phase III, together with Major L Udagedara, second in Command of the CCC Phase III.

Adding memories, the entire CCC inclusive of 12 Regiments posed for a group photo with the Chief Guest. Several Principal Staff Officers and Senior Officers were present during the military formality at Kukuleganga.

The first group of 212 peacekeepers will leave on April 20 and the remaining personnel are set to depart thereafter. Similarly, 240 members of the CCC troops (Phase II) already serving Mali will return home in two phases.

The third contingent began its training in June 2020 at IPSOTSL Kukuleganga and followed practical firing, training and drills at Maduruoya Army Training School and joined the Harmattan Field Training Exercise.