The Sri Lanka Navy vessel which was dispatched to patrol the troubled Western Indian Ocean waters off the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in great secrecy late last month has completed its maiden joint patrol and is returning to home port, The Sunday Morning reliably learns.

Responding to a question by The Sunday Morning, Navy Spokesperson Capt. Gayan Wickramasuriya confirmed the vessel’s deployment, the completion of the patrol without incident, and that it was on its way back to the island.

The Navy would not comment further on the matter, citing operational secrecy surrounding what is Sri Lanka’s first post-LTTE high seas deployment into harm’s way, where it may have met armed hostile elements. The Navy would also not comment on if and when the next patrol would take place.

The exact date the vessel was deployed and completed its patrol remains clouded in secrecy, with a senior defence official telling The Sunday Morning that such information, which was often available on open source platforms, were used by the Houthis to target specific ships with Anti-Ship Missiles (ASMs), ballistic rockets, and unmanned kamikaze drones.

As such, many warships which have joined the many collaborations and collective patrol/escort programmes for commercial vessels plying the now high-risk Red Sea do not broadcast their locations and keep their electronic signature to a minimum to reduce the risk of attack.

In early January (3), while addressing an awards ceremony in Colombo, President Ranil Wickremesinghe revealed that Sri Lanka would dispatch a Navy vessel to join the collective efforts to ensure security of the Red Sea region for shipping.

This, following calls to a greater participation to protect vital lines of shipping which Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen had begun to attack in late 2023, in response to ongoing Israeli attacks into the Gaza Strip, which had drawn international condemnation, including that of Sri Lanka.

Around 40 commercial vessels have been attacked by the Houthi rebels as of last week, since attacks began on 19 November 2023. The resulting crisis has caused significant disruption to global supply chains, increasing costs and pollution as commercial vessels try to use longer alternative routes to get to their destinations.

As an island nation and a maritime hub, Sri Lanka is dependent on free and secure shipping to sustain its economy and is treaty-bound to ensure the safety and security of commercial trade at sea.

The Sri Lanka Navy Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) (name withheld), which had been deployed under a veil of secrecy, with only a few senior defence and naval officials in the know, had carried out joint patrols under the banner of the Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150) of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF).

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) will lead a second Aragalaya if this year's Presidential election is postponed, SJB Former MP Mujibur Rahman said as the party's May Day rally kicked off in Fort.

Apart from organizing a debate between Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and NPP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, let us publicly reassure the Sinhalese people, perhaps in a solemn ceremony, that they will not allow the Northern and Eastern regions to gain the right to self-determination, Lanka Private Bus Owners' Association (LPBOA) Chairman Gemunu Wijerathne urged today.

SJB Chairman Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka made an early exit from the party's May Day Rally in Fort, a shortwhile ago. Fonseka was seen greeting MPs and Buddhist clergy before he left the rally.

As the Lok Shaba elections campaign heats up in India, the ruling Bharatiya Janatha Party (BJP) has invited representatives from Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and the United National Party (UNP) to gain awareness on the electoral process there, The Hindu newspaper reported.

Former President Maithripala Sirisena said today that Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe will be the Presidential candidate representing the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). He made this revelation during the commemoration ceremony of the late T.B. Ilangaratne.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MPs Rajitha Senaratne and Tatha Athukorala were notable abesentees at party's May Day Rally in Fort today. All Ceylon Makalal Kachchi Leader SJB alley Rishath Bathiudeen, was another abesentee. Another feature is the prominence given to MPs G. L Peiris and Dilan Perera. They were given front seats.

Former Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage has been acquitted from the case filed against him over allegations of money laundering related to the purchase of a house in Colombo.

Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe has filed a revision application in the Court of Appeal challenging the legality of the enjoining order issued by Colombo District Court preventing him from functioning as the Acting Chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga said today President Ranil Wickremesinghe invited her on several occasions to take up a position and support the government. Ms Kumaratunga told reporters that she refused the invitation, claiming that she could not take up any position until thieves were there in politics.

Conducting coaching or tuition classes aimed at the 2023 (2024) G.C.E. Ordinary Level (O/L) Examination aspirants will be prohibited from tonight till the exams are concluded, the Department of Examinations said.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara today hit out at the party's Organizer Gamini Vijith Vijithamuni Soysa who has been critical of the party leadership lately. Former MP Soysa was reported to have complained that he has been sidelined by the SJB leadership.

State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe expressed confidence in exceeding the $ 5 billion mark by year-end, driven by the strong growth in the tourism sector.

A man in Mullaitivu District claimed to be the tallest person in Sri Lanka. According to BBC Sinhala Service, Gunasingham Kasenthiran, a former cadre of the proscribed Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who lives in Kaiveli, Puthukudiruppu is seven feet two inches tall.

In an effort to nip any discord with India in the bud, Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) faction led by Nimal Siripala de Silva as acting chairman called on Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha and disassociated itself from remarks by its former Chairman Maithripala Sirisena implicating alleged Indian involvement in orchestrating the Easter Sunday attacks, an informed source said.

The Sri Lankan Rupee has depreciated slightly against the US Dollar at commercial banks in Sri Lanka today (Apr 29) compared to last week. According to Seylan Bank, the buying and selling rates of the US Dollar are unchanged at Rs. 290.50 and Rs. 301, respectively.

An attempt to send a 17-year-old boy abroad on forged travel documents was foiled and two women suspected of their involvement in the racket were arrested by the Border Surveillance Unit of the Department of Immigration and Emigration at the Bandaranaike International Airport.

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has expressed serious concern over recent remarks made by Minister Tiran Alles, and urging President Ranil Wickremesinghe to remove him from the portfolio of Public Security.

Political tremors are expected on May Day (Wednesday) as members of a few political parties are expected to appear at the UNP May Day rally, UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene said over the weekend.

The Anuradhapura High Court on Friday passed a death sentence on five police officers who were found guilty of killing eight Tamil civilians at the Bharathipuram village in Kantale 26 years ago. The sentence was passed by High Court Judge Manoj Thalgodapitiya.

Former Army commander Sarath Fonseka told Parliament today (April 26) that the person who had groomed the main Easter Sunday suicide bomber – Zahran Hashim, is the current head of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) Maj Gen (Rtd.) Suresh Salley.