COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s foreign ministry said Tuesday it had received assurances from Russia that it would stop recruiting the island nation’s citizens to fight in Ukraine following allegations thousands had been duped into combat roles.
Relatives have urged Colombo to bring back the Sri Lankans, mostly retired soldiers, at least 16 of whom have been reported killed and 37 wounded in the fighting, according to parliament, with around a dozen others reportedly held as prisoners of war in Ukraine.
Sri Lankan foreign minister Ali Sabry raised the issue with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the BRICS ministerial meeting in Moscow on Monday, the ministry said.
“At the request of minister Ali Sabry, it was also agreed that no further recruitment from Sri Lanka will be done,” the ministry said.
Moscow will accept a delegation from Sri Lanka on June 26 to “review these issues in detail and take suitable action to arrest the situation,” the ministry statement said.
Thousands of Russian soldiers have been killed in Ukraine since the invasion began more than two years ago, and Moscow has been on a global quest for more troops.
Sri Lanka says many of its nationals had been duped into believing they would receive high salaries, land and the right to settle in Russia in return for serving in non-combat roles, but ended up being sent to the front.
Police in the island nation have arrested two retired generals for illegally acting as recruiting agents for Russian mercenary firms.
Soldiers from Sri Lanka’s neighbors India and Nepal have also joined the fight, with several confirmed deaths.
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Sri Lanka says Russia to stop recruiting fighters from the island
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Sri Lanka says Russia to stop recruiting fighters from the island
- Moscow will accept a delegation from Sri Lanka on June 26 to “review these issues in detail
Tens of thousands attend funeral of killed Bangladesh student leader
- Tens of thousands of mourners gathered in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka on Saturday for the funeral of a student leader, after two days of violent protests over his killing
DHAKA: Tens of thousands of mourners gathered in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka on Saturday for the funeral of a student leader, after two days of violent protests over his killing.
Huge crowds accompanied the funeral procession of Sharif Osman Hadi, a key figure in last year’s pro-democracy uprising who died in a hospital in Singapore on Thursday after being shot by masked gunmen while leaving a Dhaka mosque.
Police wearing body cameras were deployed in front of the parliament building where the funeral prayers were held.
Hadi’s body, which was brought to the capital on Friday, was buried at the central mosque of Dhaka University.
“We have not come here to say goodbye,” interim leader Muhammad Yunus said in an emotional speech.
“You are in our hearts and you will remain in the heart of all Bangladeshis as long as the country exists.”
Hadi, 32, was an outspoken critic of India and was set to contest the general elections in February.
Iqbal Hossain Saikot, a government employee who traveled from afar to attend the prayers, said Hadi was killed because he staunchly opposed India.
He will continue to live “among the millions of Bangladeshi people who love the land and its sovereign territory,” Saikot, 34, told AFP.
Hadi’s death has triggered widespread unrest, with protesters across the South Asian nation demanding the arrest of those responsible.
Late Thursday, people set fire to several buildings in Dhaka including the offices of leading newspapers Prothom Alo and the Daily Star.
Critics accuse the publications of favoring neighboring India, where Bangladesh’s ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina has taken refuge since fleeing Dhaka in the wake of the 2024 uprising.
Rights group Amnesty International on Saturday urged Bangladesh’s interim government to carry out “prompt, thorough, independent and impartial” investigations into Hadi’s killing and the violence that followed.
It also expressed alarm over the lynching of Hindu garment worker Dipu Chandra Das following allegations of blasphemy.
Yunus said seven suspects had been arrested in connection with Das’s killing in the central district of Mymensingh on Thursday.
Huge crowds accompanied the funeral procession of Sharif Osman Hadi, a key figure in last year’s pro-democracy uprising who died in a hospital in Singapore on Thursday after being shot by masked gunmen while leaving a Dhaka mosque.
Police wearing body cameras were deployed in front of the parliament building where the funeral prayers were held.
Hadi’s body, which was brought to the capital on Friday, was buried at the central mosque of Dhaka University.
“We have not come here to say goodbye,” interim leader Muhammad Yunus said in an emotional speech.
“You are in our hearts and you will remain in the heart of all Bangladeshis as long as the country exists.”
Hadi, 32, was an outspoken critic of India and was set to contest the general elections in February.
Iqbal Hossain Saikot, a government employee who traveled from afar to attend the prayers, said Hadi was killed because he staunchly opposed India.
He will continue to live “among the millions of Bangladeshi people who love the land and its sovereign territory,” Saikot, 34, told AFP.
Hadi’s death has triggered widespread unrest, with protesters across the South Asian nation demanding the arrest of those responsible.
Late Thursday, people set fire to several buildings in Dhaka including the offices of leading newspapers Prothom Alo and the Daily Star.
Critics accuse the publications of favoring neighboring India, where Bangladesh’s ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina has taken refuge since fleeing Dhaka in the wake of the 2024 uprising.
Rights group Amnesty International on Saturday urged Bangladesh’s interim government to carry out “prompt, thorough, independent and impartial” investigations into Hadi’s killing and the violence that followed.
It also expressed alarm over the lynching of Hindu garment worker Dipu Chandra Das following allegations of blasphemy.
Yunus said seven suspects had been arrested in connection with Das’s killing in the central district of Mymensingh on Thursday.
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