Six people have been arrested today after two Sri Lankan soldiers were attacked in Kilinochchi on Thursday night.  

The soldiers from the Murugandi Army base were reportedly attacked by a group of youths near the Oottrupulam market by a sharp object.

Local sources said the soldiers were Tamil and were on leave in their hometown of Oottrupulam.

Members of the Northern Provincial Council held an awareness protest at the Council's sitting today, calling for the release of Tamil political prisoners. 

The Asian Development Bank pledged to allocate up to US $5 billion over the next five years in efforts to move Sri Lanka to an upper middle income country reports sundaytimes.lk.

The bank’s Country Director Sri Widowati told press that the assistance would aim to strengthen drivers of growth and improve the quality Sri Lanka’s growth.

The chief minister of the Northern Province, C V Wigneswaran said on Thursday that the NPC would not back the proposed 20th Amendment to Sri Lanka's constitution. 

He said the amendment was aimed at concentrating Provincial Council powers within the parliament.

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) on Thursday called on the Sri Lankan government to "swiftly operationalise" the Office on Missing Persons.

Sri Lanka's new navy commander said "the navy uniform is not a license to kill, steal or commit any other crime", stating that those found guilty of commiting a crime would be punished. 

"No one will be pardoned if someone within the Navy is found guilty of any crime even if the person is a war hero," he was quoted by Colombo Page as saying. 

Sri Lanka's health minister is the third minister in weeks to face calls for his resignation, after a no-confidence motion was handed over to the Speaker. 

The motion against Rajitha Senaratne was signed by 39 Joint opposition MPs, the Daily Mirror reported. 

A former Sri Lankan diplomat who is wanted for questioning over financial irregularities in relation to a military aircraft deal has had an appeal rejected by a court in Colombo this week.  

Lawyers for Udayanga Weeratunga, a former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia, called for a recall of his arrest warrant and a restoration of his diplomatic passport.

Amnesty International urged the UN Human Rights Council to ensure Sri Lanka implements a resolution calling for an accountability mechanism with international judges, in a submission to the council this week.

The human rights organisation said it recognised Sri Lanka “has taken some important steps,” however added that it was “disappointed by the lack of progress, and in some cases backsliding” by the current government.

Money allocated for resettlement is being funnelled to the Sri Lankan army, a Northern Provincial Council minister said on Wednesday. 

Women’s affairs minister Ananthy Sasitharan accused the Sri Lankan government of diverting funds, including international aid money, meant for resettling Tamil war victims to the military, under the guise of relocating camps.

Sri Lanka’s Defence Ministry Secretary Kapila Waidayaratne said Sri Lanka is interested in Russian arms and ships during a visit to a military exhibition in Russia reports Colombo Gazette.

Speaking to Russian News outlet Sputnik, Mr Waidayaratne said the Sri Lanka’s delegation had arrived at Russia’s military forum to see the expertise and technology available.

Heading the Sri Lankan delegation to Russia, Mr Waidayaratne, said,

Two new appointments were made to the Northern Province on Wednesday in health and agriculture. 

Dr G Gunaseelan appointed as the province's new Minister of Health, Indigenous Medicine, Probation and Childcare Services. Mr K Sivanesan was appointed as the Minister of Agriculture, Agrarian Services, Animal Husbandry, Irrigation, Fisheries, Water Supply and Environment.

Both men were sworn in before the Northern Province's governor, Reginald Cooray in Jaffna. 

The draft 20th Amendment to Sri Lanka's constitution was today tabled in parliament, the Daily Mirror reported. 

Dozens of Sri Lankan troops took part in a military exercise in Trincomalee this month, in the run up to a major joint field training exercise to be held later this year.