Sulipuram Army Camp closed after more than 30 years

Monday, 26 January 2026 04:57 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Sri Lanka Army has vacated the Sulipuram Army Camp, also known as Chulipuram, bringing to an end more than three decades of military presence at the site.

Troops stationed at the camp withdrew late on Friday night and were relocated to another Army facility in the area.

The closure follows decisions taken in late 2024 to dismantle selected long-standing military camps in the Jaffna peninsula, as part of efforts to return occupied land to its original civilian owners.

The formal process was carried out under the supervision of the Commander of the 513th Infantry Division, who handed over the official vacation notice to the Chankanai Divisional Secretariat last week.

The Sulipuram camp was established in the early 1990s during the height of the civil conflict and remained operational for over 30 years.

Army Spokesman Brigadier Waruna Gamage said the move should not be viewed as a sudden withdrawal, describing it instead as part of a planned restructuring of the Army.

In recent years, the Sri Lanka Army has closed or relocated several camps in the Northern Province under a broader national restructuring programme, with a focus on releasing land for civilian use.

The Katkolam Army Camp in the North was disbanded in November 2024 under the same initiative, while land occupied by the Karaitivu Army Camp in Ampara was returned to the public in October last year after 35 years.

The 10th Battalion of the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment, which had been stationed on approximately half an acre of land in Karaitivu since 1990, was withdrawn, and the land was formally handed over to the Karaitivu Pradeshiya Sabha.