The Sri Lankan military has arrested around 4500 deserters from the army, air force and navy in 2017, the military spokesperson Brigadier Roshan Seneviratne said.
"Eight officers and 4410 other rank personnel have been arrested till yesterday [27th July 2017] since the end of the General Amnesty on midnight 31st December 2016," he was quoted by Adaderana as saying.
"Eight officers and 3529 other rank personnel of the army, 805 navy and 76 air force deserters have been taken into custody."
The military had conducted a general amnesty last year, where over 8800 personnel presented themselves seeking legal discharge from the military.