Sri Lanka's president Maithripala Sirisena this week promoted the current army commander, General Crisanthe de Silva to Chief of Defence Staff.
General de Silva, who took up the post of army commander in 2015, in 2013 presided over a military court of inquiry into the Channel 4 documentary 'No-Fire Zone'.
In conclusion, the then president of the court said the armed conflict which came to an end in 2009 was conducted “strictly in accordance with the ‘Zero Civilian Casualty’ directive made by His Excellency the President Mahinda Rajapaksha”.
The court also concluded that “at all stages… the Sri Lanka Army behaved as a well-disciplined military force.”
General de Silva assumed his new duties after a religious ceremony on Thursday.
"After paying obeisance to the Buddha, the new CDS formally signed an official document, amid Seth Pirith chanting of the Maha Sangha who were present at the occasion," the army's official website noted.
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