The government has offered a fresh amnesty to military deserters to get them back to the battle front without facing court martial.
The offer comes even as the police and the military intensify their countrywide manhunt to track down about 3,600 deserters.
Military spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara told The Sunday Times deserters who wanted to return would have to admit to the offence of deserting their posts but would be spared court martial.
He said the military had arrested 2,500 deserters since August 1 with some 305 of them serving six-month jail terms at the Welikada Prisons following court martial. The Sunday Times learns that the soldiers who have been jailed are those who had refused to return to the Army. They would be discharged from the army after their jail term.
Brig. Nanayakkara said although 700 more deserters are to be court-martialled and those who were willing to return to their units would not be punished. | 
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