Security Forces Headquarters – Jaffna (SFHQ-J) is a regional
command
Command may refer to:
Computing
* Command (computing), a statement in a computer language
* command (Unix), a Unix command
* COMMAND.COM, the default operating system shell and command-line interpreter for DOS
* Command key, a modifier key on A ...
of the
Sri Lanka Army
The Sri Lanka Army (; ) is the oldest and largest of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces. The army was officially established as the Ceylon Army in 1949, though the army traces its roots back in 1881 when Ceylon Light Infantry Volunteers was created; ...
, that is responsible for the operational deployment and command all army units stationed in and around the
Jaffna Peninsula in the
Northern Province.
It is the most senior of the five Security Forces Headquarters and the
General Officer Commanding
General officer commanding (GOC) is the usual title given in the armies of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth (and some other nations, such as Ireland) to a general officer who holds a command appointment.
Thus, a general might be the GOC ...
it is one of the most senior officers in the army, the post is designated as Commander Security Forces Headquarters – Jaffna. The current Commander SFHQ-J is
Major Generalbr>
Ruwan Wanigasooriya The SFHQ-J is based at the
Palaly Military Base. At the height of the
Sri Lankan Civil War, SFHQ-J included several
divisions and the independent
brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military unit, military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute ...
s. At certain times, SFHQ-J would be under the command of an
Overall Operational Commander.
Area of responsibility includes
Jaffna District
Jaffna District ( ''Yāḻppāṇam Māvaṭṭam''; ''yāpanaya distrikkaya'') is one of the 25 districts of Sri Lanka, the second level administrative division of the country. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a ...
.
History
The first permanent formation to be established in the
Jaffna Peninsula since Ceylon gained its independence from the
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.
* British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
in 1948 was the
headquarters
Headquarters (often referred to as HQ) notes the location where most or all of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. The term is used in a wide variety of situations, including private sector corporations, non-profits, mil ...
established by the
Ceylon Army
The Sri Lanka Army (; ) is the oldest and largest of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces. The army was officially established as the Ceylon Army in 1949, though the army traces its roots back in 1881 when Ceylon Light Infantry Volunteers was created; t ...
for "Operations Monty" in 1952 to stop illegal immigration of
Indian Tamils. In 1963, "Operations Monty" was renamed
Task Force Anti Illicit Immigration (TFAII), expanding its role in supporting the
Royal Ceylon Navy coastal patrols and
Ceylon Police Force operations in the Northern Province to intercept illicit immigration and smuggling. With the escalation of the
Tamil militancy in the Jaffna Peninsula, TFAII was disbanded and replaced with the Task Force 4 Northern Command that served as a field formation for counter insurgency operations in the Northern Province. In 1982, it was renamed the Northern Command which became the permanent headquarters for army units based in the Northern Province, and in 1986 this headquarters was renamed as Security Forces Headquarters (Jaffna) in 1986. In late 1989, the headquarters and units attached to it was reorganized as the 21 Brigade. Following failed peace talks in 1994, and increased military operations in the Jaffna Peninsula, 21 Brigade was renamed Task Force 1. By 1996, Task Force 1 had a tactical area covering the Jaffna Peninsula and area up to
Kilinochchi with several divisions under its command, therefore Task Force 1 HQ was converted as the Security Forces Headquarters – Jaffna.
Composition
SFHQ-J has three divisions under its command;
[Two Security Forces Headquarters established in Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi ](_blank)
*
51 Division, based in
Jaffna
Jaffna (, ; , ) is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka, Northern Province of Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna District located on a Jaffna Peninsula, peninsula of the same name. With a population o ...
**511 Brigade
**512 Brigade
**513 Brigade
**515 Brigade
*
52 Division, based in the
Jaffna Peninsula
**521 Brigade
**522 Brigade
**523 Brigade
*
55 Division, based in
Elephant Pass,
Jaffna Peninsula
**551 Brigade
**552 Brigade
**553 Brigade
* Forward Maintenance Area (North)
Past Commanders
;Task Force 4 Northern
* Colonel
C.H. Fernando (1981 - 1983)
* Colonel
A Ariyapperuma (1983 - 1984)
* Colonel S M A Jayawardena (1983 - 1985)
* Lieutenant Colonel
D E C Waidyaratne (1985 - 1985)
* Colonel
Gratian Silva (1985 - 1985)
* Colonel C J Abeyratne (1985 - 1986)
;Security Forces Headquarters (Jaffna)
* Brigadier H F Rupasinghe (1986 - 1986)
* Brigadier
G. H. De Silva (1986 - 1987)
* Brigadier
J I De Jayaratne (1987 - 1988)
* Brigadier
T. N. De Silva (1988 - 1989)
* Brigadier
Y. Balaratnaraja (1989 - 1989)
;21 Brigade Headquarters
* Brigadier
W I V K M Wimalaratne (1991 - 1992)
* Brigadier
R de S Daluwatte (1992 - 1992)
* Brigadier
G P Kulatunga (1992 - 1993)
* Brigadier J Nammuni (1993 - 1993)
* Brigadier
A K Jayawardena (1993 - 1994)
;Task Force 1 Headquarters
* Major General H S Hapuarachchi (1995 - 1995)
* Brigadier
R P Liyanage (1995 - 1996)
* Brigadier L C R Gunawardena (1996 - 1996)
;Security Forces Headquarters
* Major General
L P Balagalla (1997 - 1998)
* Major General L C R Gunawardena (1998 - 1999)
* Major General
P S C Munasinghe (1999 - 1999)
* Major General J K N Jayakodi (1999 - 2000)
* Major General A M C W P Senevirathne (2000)
* Major General
G S C Fonseka (2000)
* Major General A E D Wijendra (2000 - 2001)
* Major General M D S Chandrapala (2001 - 2001)
* Major General D S K Wijesooriya (2001 - 2002)
* Major General
G S C Fonseka (2002 - 2003)
* Major General M D S Chandrapala (2003 - 2004)
* Major General S D Thennakoon (2004 - 2005)
* Major General
G A Chandrasiri (2005 - 2009)
* Major General M C M P Samarasinghe (2009 - 2009)
* Major General G R De Silva (2009 - 2009)
* Major General L B R Mark (2009 - 2010)
* Major General M Hathurusinghe (2010 - 2014)
* Major General Udaya Perera (2014 - 2014)
* Major General K J Alwis (2014 - 2015)
* Major General N Udawatta (2015 - 2016)
* Major General N U M M W Senanayake (2016 - 2017)
* Major General D D U K Hettiarrachchi (2017 - 2019)
* Major General P R Wanigasooriya (2019 - )
References
External links
www.cimicjaffna.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Security Forces Headquarters - Jaffna
Commands of the Sri Lanka Army
Government of Jaffna District