Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (Sri Lanka)
Encyclopedia
The Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) is a covert operation
(black op
) unit of the Sri Lanka Army. This unit is also known as the Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) of the Sri Lanka Army and also as the Mahasohon Brigade (Mahasohona
is a demon in Sinhalese folklore hence literally meaning Demon Brigade). LRRP units specialize in carrying out reconnaissance
and sabotage
operations in deep battlespace
. In the recent Sri Lankan Civil War
, LRRP units have been successful in assassinating several high level commanders of the LTTE in LTTE held territory. The unit has also been accused of launching attacks on and killing civilians. The LRRP suffered a setback when a safehouse was raided by the police and arrested several personnel along with weapons. Before the misunderstanding was later cleared out and the arrested personnel released, the names of the personnel involved in the unit were released to the public media, resulting in the assassination of several personnel. The LRRP was later reformed and has resumed its activities following the resumption of hostilities after a ceasefire between the government and the LTTE was cancelled.
and Special Forces
regiments of the Sri Lanka Army, in addition to ex-LTTE cadres and members of anti-LTTE Tamil groups. These personnel have received specialized training both in Sri Lanka and abroad. Allegations have been made that LRRP units received training from US Special Forces. The LRRP was believed to have been led by captain Shahul Hameed Nilam before the ceasefire, with Major Tuan Nizam Muthaliff
acting as a deputy commander.
Colonel Shankar
, head of the LTTE air wing, was killed in such an attack on 6 September 2001. Although his death was speculated to be a result of an internal struggle within the LTTE, the LTTE accused army LRRP units of launching the attack that killed him. A senior sea tiger commander, Lt. Col. Gangai Amaran, was another high profile LTTE leader killed by the LRRP. Other LTTE commanders killed in LRRP attacks include Batticaloa District Intelligence Head Lt. Col. Nizam, LTTE Batticaloa-Ampara Communications Chief Major Mano and artillery specialist Major Sathiyaseelan.
Former head of the LTTE political wing, S. P. Tamilselvan’s vehicle was attacked by LRRP units in May 2001. Tamilselvan, however, was not in the vehicle at the time. LRRP units have also made failed assassination attempts on several other LTTE leaders including Col. Karuna, Col. Jeyam and Col. Balraj. The LTTE has accused the LRRP of attempting to carry out attacks even against the LTTE leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran
.
On 2 January 2002, a police team led by SP Kulasiri Udugampola raided an LRRP safehouse in Athurugiriya, a suburb close to the capital, Colombo. The unit was accused of planning to assassinate leaders of the recently elected United National Party
government. Six personnel were arrested, including Captain Nilam, the leader of the unit. Four soldiers and a former LTTE cadre were also arrested. In addition, a number of weapons were also taken into custody, including explosives, anti-tank and thermobaric weapons. Details of this raid and the weapons were made public through media. Attempts by the military hierarchy to get the arrested personnel released failed, and Army commander Lt. Gen. Lionel Balagalla issued a public statement revealing the true nature of this unit. The arrested personnel were released only after interrogation on 13 January, under orders from Defence Minister Tilak Marapana, who expressed outrage over the police raid.
Soon after the incident, LTTE began a campaign to eliminate the members of the LRRP, and those who were suspected of assisting them. A key informant of the unit, known as Mike, was abducted and killed by the LTTE on 20 January. More than 80 persons involved with the LRRP were assassinated after this. The government did not take any significant measures to stop this, and requests made by the state intelligence agencies were ignored on the basis that it will affect the ceasefire.
appointed a Commission of Inquiry to probe the safehouse raid. The Commission’s conclusion was that in addition to compromising national security interests, the raid was a "total betrayal and absolute treachery to the nation". The report also included a list of officers of the police and army responsible for the incident.
A special team was set up by the Chief of Police to investigate into the actions of Udugampola and several other police officers.
, was killed in one such attack. Cheliyan, the deputy leader of the Sea Tigers
, was also killed in an LRRP attack.
denied any involvement in these incidents, stating that the LRRP only targets armed LTTE cadres. Other alleged attacks on civilians include targeting a bus carrying school children
, and the killing of Tamil National Alliance
member K. Sivanesan
. Another notable accusation is the killing of Father M. X. Karunaratnam
, the Chairman of the North East Secretariat on Human Rights
(NESOHR), a pro–LTTE organization which had accused the Sri Lankan military of human rights violations.
Covert operation
A covert operation is a military, intelligence or law enforcement operation that is carried clandestinely and, often, outside of official channels. Covert operations aim to fulfill their mission objectives without any parties knowing who sponsored or carried out the operation...
(black op
Black op
A black operation or black op is a covert operation typically involving activities that are highly clandestine and often outside of standard military protocol or even against the law.-Origins:...
) unit of the Sri Lanka Army. This unit is also known as the Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) of the Sri Lanka Army and also as the Mahasohon Brigade (Mahasohona
Maha Sohona
Maha Sohona is a demon in Sinhalese folklore, who is said to haunt cemeteries. The name Maha Sohona means "great graveyard demon" or "demon of the cemetery" in the Sinhala language. It is one of the most feared demons in Sri Lanka...
is a demon in Sinhalese folklore hence literally meaning Demon Brigade). LRRP units specialize in carrying out reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
and sabotage
Sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...
operations in deep battlespace
Long range penetration
A Long-range penetration patrol, group, or force is a special forces military unit able to remain in and move long distances behind enemy lines far away from direct contact with friendly forces as opposed to Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol a small group engaged in scouting missions...
. In the recent Sri Lankan Civil War
Sri Lankan civil war
The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
, LRRP units have been successful in assassinating several high level commanders of the LTTE in LTTE held territory. The unit has also been accused of launching attacks on and killing civilians. The LRRP suffered a setback when a safehouse was raided by the police and arrested several personnel along with weapons. Before the misunderstanding was later cleared out and the arrested personnel released, the names of the personnel involved in the unit were released to the public media, resulting in the assassination of several personnel. The LRRP was later reformed and has resumed its activities following the resumption of hostilities after a ceasefire between the government and the LTTE was cancelled.
Organization
The exact number of troops involved with the LRRP is not known, and neither the Sri Lanka Army nor the Sri Lankan government has officially acknowledged its existence. The unit is operated under the Directorate of Military Intelligence of the Army. It is believed to be composed of personnel from the CommandoSri Lanka Army Commando Regiment
The Sri Lanka Army Commando Regiment is an elite special operations unit which is a Regiment of the Sri Lanka Army. Within one of the four Army Commando Regiments there is a 140-man counter-terrorist unit that provides the primary Counter-terrorism response for Sri Lanka...
and Special Forces
Sri Lanka Army Special Forces Regiment
The Sri Lanka Army Special Forces Regiment is the elite special forces unit of the Sri Lanka Army. This Regiment is specialized in hard-hitting shock action. The Special Forces Regiment has the distinction of taking part in almost all major offensives conducted by the Army since 1986. Their motto...
regiments of the Sri Lanka Army, in addition to ex-LTTE cadres and members of anti-LTTE Tamil groups. These personnel have received specialized training both in Sri Lanka and abroad. Allegations have been made that LRRP units received training from US Special Forces. The LRRP was believed to have been led by captain Shahul Hameed Nilam before the ceasefire, with Major Tuan Nizam Muthaliff
Tuan Nizam Muthaliff
Colonel Tuan Nizam Muthaliff RWP, MI was the former Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion Military Intelligence Corps.-Background:...
acting as a deputy commander.
Operations
LRRP units have been successful in carrying out several attacks behind enemy lines. Operations are carried out using small groups, which go into and out of enemy territory clandestinely through jungle routes and seek their targets. These groups may stay in safehouses or camp in the jungles until they are ready to take their designated target. Many of the attacks launched by LRRP units targeted high profile LTTE commanders, and were carried out in the manner of roadside ambushes. Before the 2002 ceasefire agreement was signed, the government denied allegations from the LTTE that state backed deep penetration units were targeting their leaders.Colonel Shankar
Vaithilingam Sornalingam
Vaithilingam Sornalingam was founder of the air wing and marine division of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and a relative of Velupillai Prabhakaran...
, head of the LTTE air wing, was killed in such an attack on 6 September 2001. Although his death was speculated to be a result of an internal struggle within the LTTE, the LTTE accused army LRRP units of launching the attack that killed him. A senior sea tiger commander, Lt. Col. Gangai Amaran, was another high profile LTTE leader killed by the LRRP. Other LTTE commanders killed in LRRP attacks include Batticaloa District Intelligence Head Lt. Col. Nizam, LTTE Batticaloa-Ampara Communications Chief Major Mano and artillery specialist Major Sathiyaseelan.
Former head of the LTTE political wing, S. P. Tamilselvan’s vehicle was attacked by LRRP units in May 2001. Tamilselvan, however, was not in the vehicle at the time. LRRP units have also made failed assassination attempts on several other LTTE leaders including Col. Karuna, Col. Jeyam and Col. Balraj. The LTTE has accused the LRRP of attempting to carry out attacks even against the LTTE leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran
Velupillai Prabhakaran
Thiruvenkadam Velupillai Prabhakaran was the founder and leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a militant organization that sought to create an independent Tamil state in the north and east of Sri Lanka...
.
Exposure and aftermath
In 2002, a ceasefire agreement was signed between the government and the LTTE and all LRRP activities were ceased. The military believed that the targeting of high profile LTTE leadership by the LRRP was a prominent factor in prompting the LTTE to agree for negotiations.On 2 January 2002, a police team led by SP Kulasiri Udugampola raided an LRRP safehouse in Athurugiriya, a suburb close to the capital, Colombo. The unit was accused of planning to assassinate leaders of the recently elected United National Party
United National Party
The United National Party, often referred to as the UNP ), , is a political party in Sri Lanka. It currently is the main opposition party in Sri Lanka and is headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe...
government. Six personnel were arrested, including Captain Nilam, the leader of the unit. Four soldiers and a former LTTE cadre were also arrested. In addition, a number of weapons were also taken into custody, including explosives, anti-tank and thermobaric weapons. Details of this raid and the weapons were made public through media. Attempts by the military hierarchy to get the arrested personnel released failed, and Army commander Lt. Gen. Lionel Balagalla issued a public statement revealing the true nature of this unit. The arrested personnel were released only after interrogation on 13 January, under orders from Defence Minister Tilak Marapana, who expressed outrage over the police raid.
Soon after the incident, LTTE began a campaign to eliminate the members of the LRRP, and those who were suspected of assisting them. A key informant of the unit, known as Mike, was abducted and killed by the LTTE on 20 January. More than 80 persons involved with the LRRP were assassinated after this. The government did not take any significant measures to stop this, and requests made by the state intelligence agencies were ignored on the basis that it will affect the ceasefire.
Investigations
The Army Commander, under the direction of the Defence Minister, appointed a Court of Inquiry to investigate the activities of the LRRP. The conclusion of the court of inquiry was that their activities were legitimate and all military hardware found were obtained through legitimate means. As the public controversy on this incident and the killings continued, President Chandrika KumaratungaChandrika Kumaratunga
Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga born June 29, 1945) was the 4th Executive president of Sri Lanka, serving from November 12, 1994 to November 19, 2005. The daughter of two former Prime Ministers, she was also the leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party until end of 2005...
appointed a Commission of Inquiry to probe the safehouse raid. The Commission’s conclusion was that in addition to compromising national security interests, the raid was a "total betrayal and absolute treachery to the nation". The report also included a list of officers of the police and army responsible for the incident.
A special team was set up by the Chief of Police to investigate into the actions of Udugampola and several other police officers.
Resumption of hostilities
The ceasefire was cancelled and hostilities resumed in 2006. Since then, the LRRP has been reformed and is actively participating in the ongoing operations against the LTTE. The LRRP has launched several attacks against LTTE leaders. Head of the LTTE military intelligence, Col. CharlesShanmuganathan Ravishankar
Shanmuganathan Ravishankar, also known as Colonel Charles , the Head of LTTE Military Intelligence wing, was killed on the 6th of January 2008 by Sri Lankan Army LRRP unit. His death was called a major setback for the Tamil Tigers....
, was killed in one such attack. Cheliyan, the deputy leader of the Sea Tigers
Sea Tigers
The Sea Tigers was the naval wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam during the Sri Lankan Civil War. It was founded in 1984. The Sea Tigers had a number of small but effective suicide bomber vessels. During its existence it had gained a reputation as a capable adversary for the Sri Lankan Navy...
, was also killed in an LRRP attack.
Attacks on civilians
The LTTE has accused the LRRP of targeting civilians in areas under their control. In June 2008, The LTTE accused LRRP units of killing 26 civilians in three separate attacks. Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya NanayakkaraUdaya Nanayakkara
Major General V. Udaya B. Nanayakkara, USP, Hdmc, SLE is a Sri Lankan general and a military engineer, who is the current Chief Field Engineer of the Sri Lanka Army, formerBrigade Commander 55-2 "Muhamale" Brigade and 21-4 "Paryanakulam " Brigade...
denied any involvement in these incidents, stating that the LRRP only targets armed LTTE cadres. Other alleged attacks on civilians include targeting a bus carrying school children
Madhu school bus bombing
The Madhu School bus bombing was the bombing of a school bus carried out on January 29, 2008 in Mannar, Northern province of Sri Lanka. The bombing killed 17, including eleven school children, and injured at least 14 more people.The LTTE accused the Sri Lankan Army for the attack but the Army...
, and the killing of Tamil National Alliance
Tamil National Alliance
The Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups...
member K. Sivanesan
K. Sivanesan
Kiddinan Sivanesan was a Sri Lankan Tamil politician and Member of Parliament. He was killed by a roadside bomb placed by the Sri Lanka Army's Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol .-Early life:...
. Another notable accusation is the killing of Father M. X. Karunaratnam
M. X. Karunaratnam
Reverend Father Mariampillai Xavier Karunaratnam was a minority Sri Lankan Tamil, Roman Catholic parish priest and a human rights activist. He was the Chairperson of the pro-LTTE NESHOR and was killed on 20 April 2008 allegedly by a Deep Penetration Unit of the Sri Lankan Army .He had been...
, the Chairman of the North East Secretariat on Human Rights
NESOHR
The NorthEast Secretariat on Human Rights was established as part of the Norway facilitated peace process to improve human rights in North East of Sri Lanka on July 9, 2004, in Kilinochchi....
(NESOHR), a pro–LTTE organization which had accused the Sri Lankan military of human rights violations.
See also
- Long Range Reconnaissance PatrolLong Range Reconnaissance PatrolLong Range Reconnaissance Patrols, or LRRPs , were special small four to six-man teams in the Vietnam War on highly dangerous special reconnaissance missions deep into enemy territory....
- Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group