FLAG
CREST
HISTORY
In 1997 having added a new chapter to the history of Sri Lanka Army at ERATIPERIYAKULAM of VAUNIYA the Commando Brigade was established with Lieutenant Colonel P Chandrawansa as the Brigade Commander on 15 sMarch 1997. The following officers were appointed for the other appointments of the brigade.
In face of mounting terrorist threats in North and East and insecurity situation in the country another Commando Regiment was needed and so in 1993 the 2nd Commando Regiment was formed up with a well made plan. It was established in GANEMULLA camp complex. It was declared open by Brigadier K J C Perera. To meet developments the Commando Regiment Training School was established in UVA KUDA-OYA camp in the same year.
Although since the inception of 1st & 2nd Commando Regiments successful operations were launched, the need of more personnel to do special reconnaissance was felt. So in 1999 Major S A Gunasekara (Retired), the then Commanding Officer of the 1st Commando Regiment made the arrangements and selected some Officers who voluntarily agreed to join a group of special reconnaissance and to receive a special training. Lieutenant Ranawaka, Lieutenant Madura Wickramarathne and 24 soldiers who successfully completed the training were absorbed in to the newly formed group “E” in 1994. The task of the unit was to conduct special reconnaissance
Although since the inception of 1st & 2nd Commando Regiments successful operations were launched, the need of more personnel to do special reconnaissance was felt. So in 1999 Major S A Gunasekara (Retired), the then Commanding Officer of the 1st Commando Regiment made the arrangements and selected some Officers who voluntarily agreed to join a group of special reconnaissance and to receive a special training. Lieutenant Ranawaka, Lieutenant Madura Wickramarathne and 24 soldiers who successfully completed the training were absorbed in to the newly formed group “E” in 1994. The task of the unit was to conduct special reconnaissance. Even by that time there was such a group in 2nd Commando Regiment, in 1997 special reccee group was newly established. Later on this was named as long Range Reconnaissance Patrol Group (LRRP). In 2001 LRRP group of the Commando Regiment was formed and named as the “E” group.
In 1995 the 1st Commando Regiment took up the duties of hostage rescue and counter terrorists and war dogs where as the 2nd Commando Regiment undertook providing protection to VIPS. By 1997 the Commando Regimental Centre supervised the war dogs section. Thereafter, duties of HR & CT, were conducted by the unit under the supervision of Commando Regiment and on the order of Deputy Commanding Officer. With the expansion of duties, the Army Headquarters gave an approval by ARO 02/2003x G/SD/51 order to form the 4th Commando Regiment as a new unit on 16th July 2001. It was raised as a new permanent unit since 15th March 2003. Thereafter the new regiment undertook the duties of HR & CT, War Dog section and VIP protection duty. Major S A R Wijepala was the Commanding Officer of the 4th Commando Regiment.
ROLE
The role of the Commando Brigade is to design and execute Special operations across the operational spectrum that is commanded and guided at the strategic level, in order to protect the national interests of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. Thus, it is to field specially organized, highly trained, skilled and equipped military outfits which are capable of being employed in peacetime, conflict, war and / or transitional phases, independently or in coordination with operations of conventional forces to achieve military, political, economic or psychological objectives at strategic levels by specialized and / or unconventional and unorthodox means in hostile, denied or politically sensitive areas.
TASKS
Direct Action.
To conduct short-duration strikes and other small-scale offensive actions to seize, destroy, capture, recover, or inflict damage on designated personnel or materiel. In the conduct of these offensive actions, Commandos may employ in raid, ambush, or direct assault tactics; emplace mines and other munitions; conduct standoff attacks by fire from air, ground, or maritime platforms; conduct independent sabotage activities; and conduct anti-ship operations.
Unconventional Warfare.
To conduct broad spectrum of military and paramilitary operations, normally of long duration, predominantly conducted by indigenous or surrogate forces that are organized, trained, equipped, supported, and directed in varying degrees in an external soil which include guerrilla warfare in the nature of low visibility, covert, or clandestine operations, as well as the indirect activities of subversion, sabotage, intelligence activities, and escape and evasion.
Clandestine Ops & Covert Ops.
To conduct clandestine and covert operations keeping utmost secrecy and concealment in order to eliminate threats at the transitional phases or conduct special operations that create the favourable situation to launch conventional forces or gain advantageous position over conflicting interests in the spectrum of operations.
Special Reconnaissance.
To conduct reconnaissance and surveillance to obtain or verify, by visual observation or other collection methods, information concerning the capabilities, intentions, and activities of an actual or potential enemy or to secure data concerning the meteorological, hydrographical, or geographic characteristics of a particular area. It includes area assessment, target acquisition, and battle damage assessment.
Hostage Rescue & Combating Terrorism.
To counter any act of terror based on specialized skills and use of precision minimum force in order to rescue hostages being taken and pause a threat in order to deter any form of subversive activities.
VIP Protection Duties.
To protect assigned very important persons from any form of terror including assault, kidnapping, assassination or suicide attacks.
K-9 Handling.
To conduct K-9 Handling in relation to, handling of war dogs that are especially trained and employed in explosive detection, tracking & guard duties in order to protect VIPs, VPs and other key installation from the acts of terror.
Waterborne Ops.
To conduct waterborne operations which are to seek out and destroy the enemy and his installations by using means of water for approach. It also includes the operations conducted in inland waters; diving operations; the survey and reconnaissance of the beaches and shoreline prior to amphibious landings by main forces; reporting on the numbers and disposition of any nearby enemy; survey the approaches to the beaches to ensure they are suitable for a landing of an amphibious force.
Airborne & Air assault Ops.
To conduct airborne operations or air assault operations to engage and destroy enemy forces, command systems, high priority targets or to seize and hold key terrain in order to facilitate conventional operations or parallel special operations.
Military Assistance for Foreign Internal Defence.
To conduct Special Operations in relation to Foreign Internal Defence Participation in order to support any of the action programmes taken by another government to free and protect its society from subversion, lawlessness, and insurgency.
Brigadier KVIL Jayaweera USP
Brigade Commander -CDO
PAST COMMANDERS
| Name | From | To |
| Col P Chandrawansa RWP RSP USP psc | 15.03.1997 | 13.07.1998 |
| Col KANS Fernando RSP USP | 13.07.1998 | 07.05.2000 |
| Col SM De A Rajapakse RWP RSP | 07.05.2000 | 07.06.2001 |
| Lt Col S Sooriyabandara RSP | 07.06.2001 | 25.10.2001 |
| Lt Col PRS Jayasekara RWP RSP psc | 25.10.2001 | 05.02.2002 |
| Col S Sooriyabandara RSP | 05.02.2002 | 13.05.2002 |
| Col SM De A Rajapakse RWP RSP | 13.05.2002 | 29.07.2002 |
| Col S Sooriyabandara RSP | 29.07.2002 | 18.10.2005 |
| Lt Col PRS Jayasekara RWP RSP psc | 19.10.2005 | 20.01.2007 |
| Col CP Gallage RWP RSP | 20.01.2007 | 25.10.2007 |
| Brig LHSC Silva WWV RWP RSP USP psc | 25.10.2007 | 18.03.2009 |
| Brig RA Nugera WWV RWP RSP | 18.03.2009 | 23.08.2009 |
| Col LWH Gamage RSP | 23.08.2009 | 01.07.2013 |
| Brig LANS Wanigasinghe RWP RSP USP | 01.07.2013 | 25.11.2013 |
| Brig HHASPK Senarathna RSP psc | 25.11.2013 | 14.12.2015 |
| Brig DMUG Bandara RSP USP | 14.12.2015 | 16.02.2018 |
| Brig AKGKU Gnanaratne psc | 16.02.2018 | 10.01.2019 |
| Brig KA Samarasiri RWP RSP USP | 10.01.2019 | 04.01.2020 |
| Brig PGPS Rathnayake RWP RSP | 06.01.2020 | 09.08.2021 |
OPERATIONS CONDUCTED
●Ealam War - 1
●Operation Vadamarachchi
●Ealam War – Ii
●Operation To Recapture Muttur Camp
●The Operation to Save Mullativ Camp
●Operation Thrivida Balaya
●Wanni Wickrama 1 & 2
●Operation Wanni – 1
●Operation to save Elephant Pass
●Operation Akunu Pahara
●Operation “Haye Pahara”
●Angodawillu Operation
●Operation to save the Pooneryn Camp
●Ealam War - 3
●The advent of 2nd Commando Regiment to Jaffna
●Operation Thunder Strike
●Operation “Riviresa”
●Operation in the East
●Operation Edibala
●Operation Jayasikuru
●Strategic withdrawing operation at Elephant Pass
●Serpentine operation (The First Hostage Rescuing Operation In Sri Lanka)
●Operation Rivikirana
●Operation Unceasing Waves
●Operation Rivikirana
●Operation to capture Muthur town
●Operation Malai
●Vakarai Operation
●Thoppigala Operation
●Operation to save North
●Wanni humanitarian operation
●The historical operation carried out by Commandos for destroying of the LTTE Leader Prabhakaran And many other leaders by restricting them to the Nandikadal
●Operation At Welikada Prison – 09 November 2012
SPECIAL PROGRAMMS
LEADESHIP PROGRAMME CONDUCTED BY COMMANDO REGIMENT
Leadership programme to the Sri Lankan Air Lines
Leadership programme to the University Student
Leadership programme to the Brandix Lanka Ltd
ACTIVITIES OF EX COMMANDO LEAGION
4 X 4 MOTOR RALLY EXPEDITION
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Helping hand to civil persons in Aranayake landslide disaster by 4 Commando Regiment
Firefighting support for Athurugiriya from troops of 4 Commando Regiment
Distributing rations by troops of 4 Commando Regiment in disaster Situation
Helping hands to Meethotamulla landslide
TRAINING
CONTACT DETAILS
| Postal Address | : | Headquarters ,Commando Brigade, Army Camp,GANEMULLA |
| Email Address | : | hqcdobde@army.lk,commandobrigade@gmail.com,brigadecommando@yahoo.com |
| Telephone Numbers | : | 0112974888 |
| Fax | : | 0112984823 |
