Arrest orders issued for deserters of security forces

Defence Secretary Sampath Thuyacontha has issued an order for the immediate arrest of deserters from the country's security forces. 

This directive comes in response to a troubling increase in shooting incidents that have been reported in recent weeks.

Officials have indicated that the decision was prompted by a surge in violence linked to former members of the security forces who have abandoned their posts. 

In response to growing concerns over former military personnel's involvement in criminal activities, Defence Secretary Thuyacontha revealed that many individuals connected to recent crimes had either unofficially left or been discharged from military service after receiving weapons training.

He assured that the authorities, with the assistance of the Police, are working to arrest these individuals.

Thuyacontha also emphasized the Ministry's commitment to strictly enforcing the law against organised crime gangs, highlighting this during a special media briefing at the Government Information Department.

The Defence Secretary attributed the rise in criminal activities to decades of political protection for these gangs, but assured that under the current administration, such groups would no longer receive support. He reaffirmed the government’s dedication to swift and strict law enforcement to combat these activities.

In addition, the secretary said that the Ministry of Defence has launched a systematic audit of firearms that were illegally issued for personal protection.

Supported by the tri-forces, this initiative has successfully recovered most of the firearms, with only a few remaining unaccounted for. The Defence Secretary expressed confidence that this audit will help eliminate confusion in society and prevent the illegal issuance of firearms moving forward.