59 Division (Sri Lanka)

Last updated
59 Division
Active2007 - Present
Country Sri Lanka
Branch Sri Lanka Army
Type Division (military)
Size20,000+ troops
Part of Security Forces Headquarters – Mullaitivu
Headquarters Mullaitivu
Engagements Sri Lankan Civil War
Commanders
Notable
commanders
General Officer Commanding - Major General Mahinda Ranasinghe,
Deputy General Officer Commanding - Major General Laksiri Waduge

The 59 Division is an division of the Sri Lanka Army formed in 2007. A principal offensive division it is currently deployed for combat operations in the Mullaitivu region. [1]

Contents

Sri Lankan Civil War

Operations

Formed in the Welioya sector it was tasked with advancing from Welioya to the LTTE stronghold of Mullaitivu. The division captured key LTTE bases in the jungles of Mullaitivu, these included Muhagam camp (May 30, 2008), Michael camp (May 30, 2008), Suganthan camp (July 27, 2008), Jeevan camp (August 16, 2008) that belong to the one four base complex. Troops of the 59 Division took western section of the Nayaru Lagoon on August 21, 2008 and on November 11 Kumalamunai was taken followed by Othiyamalai (November 29, 2008) and Mullayaveli (December 16, 2008)

The 59 Division participated in the Battle of Mullaitivu in January 2009, during which it captured Mullaitivu town, the last stronghold of the Tamil Tigers.

Towns liberated by 59 Division

#Area Liberated [2] Date
1 Munagam Base 30 May 2008
2 Michael Base 4 July 2008
3 Suganthan camp 27 July 2008
4 Jeevan Base 16 August 2008
5 West of Nayaroo lagoon 21 August 2008
6 Gajabapura 23 October 2008
7 Kumulamunai village 11 November 2008
8 Otiyamalai 29 November 2008
9 Mulliyawalai 26 December 2008
10Mullaitivu Town25 January 2009

Composition

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vijaya Wimalaratne</span> Sri Lankan Army Officer

Major General Vanigamuni Indrajith Vijeyakumar Mendis Wimalaratne, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, psc, GR was a senior Sri Lanka Army officer. One of the most distinguished field commanders in Sri Lanka, Wimalaratne raised the Gajaba Regiment, he commanded the 1st Brigade during the Vadamarachchi Operation, he commanded the Amphibious Task Force Commander during Operation Balavegaya and was the Commander Security Forces – Jaffna at the time of his death in a land mine explosion at Point Arali in the Kayts Island while making preparations to re-capture Jaffna.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sri Lanka Army</span> Land force of the Sri Lankan armed forces

The Sri Lanka Army is the oldest and largest of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces. Established as the Ceylon Army in 1949, it was renamed when Sri Lanka became a republic in 1972. In 2010, the Army had approximately 200,000 regular personnel, between 20,000 and 40,000 reserve (volunteer) personnel and 18,000 National Guardsmen and comprises 13 divisions, one air-mobile brigade, one commando brigade, one special forces brigade, one independent armored brigade, three mechanized infantry brigades and over 40 infantry brigades. From the 1980s to 2009, the army was engaged in the Sri Lankan Civil War.

Operation Pawan was the code name assigned to the operation by the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) to take control of Jaffna from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), better known as the Tamil Tigers, in late 1987 to enforce the disarmament of the LTTE as a part of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord. In brutal fighting lasting about three weeks, the IPKF took control of the Jaffna Peninsula from the LTTE, something that the Sri Lankan Army had tried but failed to do. Supported by Indian Army tanks, helicopter gunships and heavy artillery, the IPKF routed the LTTE at the cost of 214 soldiers and officers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sri Lanka Army Commando Regiment</span> Military unit

The Commando Regiment is the commando formation of the Sri Lanka Army. The unit specializes in various roles including hostage rescue, counter-terrorism, unconventional warfare, special reconnaissance, counter-insurgency, and personnel recovery. It was formed in 1980 and is based in Ganemulla, a suburb of Colombo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gemunu Watch</span> Military unit

The Gemunu Watch (GW) is a infantry regiment of the Sri Lanka Army, formed with troops from the Ceylon Light Infantry and the Ceylon Sinha Regiment in 1962. It has been deployed in many major operations against the LTTE. It is made up of 14 regular units and 9 volunteer units. Headquartered at Kuruwita Army Camp, Ratnapura. It is named after one of the most famous Lankan Kings, King Dutugemunu.

Operation Liberation also known as the Vadamarachchi Operation was the military offensive carried out by the Sri Lankan Armed Forces in May and June 1987 to recapture the territory of Vadamarachchi in the Jaffna peninsula from the LTTE. At the time it was the largest combined services operation undertaken by the armed forces deploying multiple brigade size formation, becoming the first conventional warfare engagement on Sri Lankan soil after the end of British colonial rule. The operation involved nearly 4,000 troops, supported by ground-attack aircraft, helicopter gunships and naval gun boats. The offensive achieved its primary objective, however operations were suspended when the Indian government dropped food supplies over Jaffna in Operation Poomalai on June 4, 1987, which prompted the Sri Lankan government to accept the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord.

The Battle of Mullaitivu, also known as the First Battle of Mullaitivu and codenamed Operation Unceasing Waves, was a battle between the militant Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the Sri Lankan military during the Sri Lankan Civil War for control of the military base in Mullaitivu in north-eastern Sri Lanka.

The Second Battle of Elephant Pass, was a battle fought in April 2000 for the control of the Sri Lankan military base in Elephant Pass, Jaffna.

The Battle of Jaffna was a battle fought in two phases in August and October 2006 for the Jaffna peninsula. It was the fourth battle for the peninsula since the start of the Sri Lankan civil war.

Operation Balavegaya was a combined military operation launched by the Sri Lankan military in Jaffna, the largest amphibious assault in its history. Operation Balavegaya was launched in response to the siege of Elephant Pass by the LTTE. It is believed that Operation Balavegaya was the largest and most successful military operation of the Sri Lankan military until Operation Riviresa in 1995.

The 2008–2009 SLA Northern offensive was an armed conflict in the northern Province of Sri Lanka between the military of Sri Lanka and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The battle broke with the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) offensive attempting to break through the LTTE defence lines in the north of the island, aiming to conclude the country's 25-year-old civil war by military victory.

Major General Chulasoka Lakshman "Lucky" Algama, VSV, USP, ndc, psc was a senior Sri Lankan army officer. He was a former Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army and a United National Party activist after retirement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Kilinochchi (2008–2009)</span> Battle fought between the Sri Lankan Military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam

The Battle of Kilinochchi was a land battle fought between the Sri Lankan Military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for control of the town of Kilinochchi in the Northern Theater of Eelam War IV during the Sri Lankan civil war between November 2008 and January 2009. The town of Kilinochchi was the administrative center and de facto capital of the LTTE's proposed state of Tamil Eelam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Mullaitivu (2009)</span>

The Battle of Mullaitivu was a land battle fought between the Sri Lankan Military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for the control of the town of Mullaitivu in the Northern Theater of Eelam War IV during the Sri Lankan civil war. The town of Mullaitivu was the last stronghold of the LTTE. The government declared on 25 January 2009 that its troops had entered the town and were consolidating their positions.

The Air Mobile Brigade is a formation of the Sri Lanka Army which functions as a rapid deployment force using air mobility provided by the mostly Mil Mi-17s of the No. 6 Squadron of the Sri Lanka Air Force. The brigade was established in 1994 under the command of Brigadier H. N. Halangoda. Currently it is attached to the 53 Division.

Major General Nandana Udawatta, RSP, USP, psc, SLAC is a Sri Lankan general. He has served as the Master General Ordnance, Commander Security Forces Headquarters - Jaffna, Commander Security Forces Headquarters - Mullaittivu and was the General Officer Commanding, 59 Division during the SLA offensives in the Wanni region during 2008 - 2009 period that led to a major victory for the SLA over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the Sri Lankan civil war.

Divisions of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam refers to the military, intelligence and overseas divisions the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Most of these divisions were destroyed during the Eelam War IV, and only parts of the intelligence and financing divisions remain overseas.

Brigadier Rohitha Neil Akmeemana RSP, USP was a senior Sri Lanka Army officer who served as Brigade Commander, 54-2 Brigade which was attached to the 54 Division during the Second Battle of Elephant Pass in April 2000.

The Battle of Weli Oya, was a battle between the militant Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the Sri Lanka Army during the Sri Lankan Civil War for control of the military bases in Weli Oya in northern Sri Lanka on 28 July 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laksiri Waduge</span> Sri Lankan senior army officer (born 1965)

Major General Galwaduge Janaka Laksiri Waduge, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, ndu is a retired Sri Lankan senior army officer. He was the 10th Commander Security Forces Headquarters – Central and the former Colonel commandant of Military Intelligence Corps. He retired from active service in 2020 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 55 for Sri Lankan Armed Forces Personnel.

References

  1. 1 2 "Tigers run out of options as Forces advance on all fronts". Archived from the original on 2009-02-04. Retrieved 2008-12-25.
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-02-20. Retrieved 2009-02-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)