Colombo: Sri Lanka’s defence secretary said there is no necessity to seek military assistance to assist in combatting COVID–19, hours after India rejected reports of sending its military.

“Our military has already shown their expertise and professionalism in handling the emergency situation created under coronavirus threat,” Kamal Gunaratne, a retired major general, said in a statement.

The defence secretary remained upbeat on Sri Lanka’s effort to tackle the virus, and said that the south asian island would set an example for other countries.

“Sri Lanka’s intelligence agencies have been used to trace people who are closely associated with coronavirus patients and to trace their whereabouts,” Gunaratne noted.

On Tuesday, Indian media citing sources reported moves which are underway to deploy military teams to assist SAARC countries in battling the novel coronavirus.

However, sources at the Indian High Commission in Colombo, speaking to News1st refuted the reports stating that no such team will arrive in the country.

“…no such dialogue had taken place between the two nations,” the defence secretary also said in his statement.

Sri Lanka has reported 323 infections so far, among which seven have died while 105 have recovered.

https://www.newsfirst.lk/2020/04/22/no-need-to-seek-foreign-military-assistance-defence-secretary-says/