06th March 2019 17:24:01 Hours
The SLA HDU which functions under the Engineer Brigade received a new mine detecting dog (MDD) on 27 February 2019 to beef up the canine unit. This friendly gesture was a result of the understanding between the Sri Lanka Army and the US based Marshall Legacy Institute (MLI). This canine which was gifted to the SLA HDU will be joining the rest of the MDD’s presently in service to boost up the humanitarian demining operations in Sri Lanka. The Commander of the Sri Lanka Army and the Chief Field Engineer initiated the process in acquiring this MDD to fulfil the national necessity of mine clearing.
The new canine Nam, which is a Belgian Malinois female was born in Bosnia on 15 May 2015 and had served in Northern Iraq as a mine detection dog before reaching Sri Lanka. After she completes the basic obedience and orientation training conducted at the Headquarters Engineer Brigade, Boo Oya, she will be joining the rest of the MDD to increase the present mine clearing capacity. With Nam joining the MDD unit of the SLA HDU the total number of canines will be increased to eight.
The official ceremony to handover Nam to the Engineer Brigade was held on 5 March 2019 at the Headquarters Engineer Brigade. The Commander Engineer Brigade, Brigadier AN Amarasekara USP ndu, the international MDD trainer Mr. Adis Pelto and Staff Officers of Engineer Brigade were present during this brief ceremony.
