Task Force Anti Illicit Immigration (TAFII) is a task force deployed by the

Sri Lanka Army ta, இலங்கை இராணுவம் , image = File:Sri Lanka Army Logo.png , image_size = 180px , caption = Emblem of the Sri Lanka Army , start_date ...

from 1963 from 1981 to counter

illegal immigration Illegal immigration is the migration of people into a country in violation of the immigration laws of that country or the continued residence without the legal right to live in that country. Illegal immigration tends to be financially upwar ...

from

South India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the States and union territories of India, Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and T ...

. It was the first field formation deployed by the

Ceylon Army ta, இலங்கை இராணுவம் , image = File:Sri Lanka Army Logo.png , image_size = 180px , caption = Emblem of the Sri Lanka Army , start_date ...

and had its headquarters at Palaly. TAFII originated from "Operations Monty" named after then Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of External Affairs and Defense, Major Montague Jayawickrama in 1952 to stop illegal immigration of Indian Tamils repatriated to India after they were refused citizenship by the government of Ceylon. In 1963, operation was renamed as Task Force Anti Illicit Immigration as a formation in support of

Royal Ceylon Navy ta, இலங்கை கடற்படை , image = Sri Lanka Naval Seal.png , image_size = 180px , caption = Emblem of Sri Lanka Navy , dates = , c ...

coastal patrols and police operations. Initially army contribution was known as "Army Force M" consisted of an infantry battalion with support units based in the coast of

Mannar Mannar may refer to the following places: India * Mannar, Alappuzha, a town in Chengannur Taluk, Kerala Sri Lanka * Mannar District, one of 25 districts in Sri Lanka ** Mannar Island, an island within the district **Mannar Bridge, a bridge connect ...

. The task force had its headquarters at Palaly and had units deployed from Mollikulam point to Kokilai. There were army camps in Silavathurai,

Thalladi Thalladi is a small town in Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic ...

, Talaimannar, Pooneryn, Valvettithurai, Madagala, Thondamannar, Mulleitivu and

Kokilai Kokkilai or Kokilai or Kokkulaay ( ta, கொக்குளாய் Kokkuḷāy Sinhalese: කෝකිලායි) is a town in the Mullaitivu District, Sri Lanka. It is located about 40 km south-east of the District capital Mullaitiv ...

. In addition several smaller detachments of 5-10 soldiers each were located. After 1972, TAFII shifted its focus to counter insurgency operations with the raise of the Tamil militancy. It was disbanded in 1980 with the on set of the Sri Lankan Civil War and was replaced by the Task Force 4 Northern Command.

Past Commanding officers, Ops Monty

Maj. General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

H. W. G. Wijeyekoon

Past Commanders TAFII

* Colonel

Sepala Attygalle General Deshamanya Don Sepala Attygalle, (14 October 1921 – 15 January 2001) was a Sri Lankan senior army officer, civil servant and diplomat. The longest serving Commander of the Sri Lankan Army (1967–1977), he went on to serve as the Pe ...

1963-1965 * Colonel M P Jayaweera 1965-1966 * Colonel

P. D. Ramayanayake Brigadier (Sri Lanka), Brigadier Percy Douglas Ramayanayake (26 March 1917 – 7 January 2007) was a senior Sri Lanka Army officer who was the founder of the Sri Lanka Engineers. He had served as the Commander, Task Force Anti Illicit Immigration ...

1969-1970 * Colonel E. T. De Z Abeysekera 1970-1971 * Colonel B. K. V. J. E. Rodrigo 1971-1972 * Colonel

Tissa Weeratunga General Tissa Indraka Weeratunga, VSV (August 29, 1930 – November 2003) was a Sri Lankan senior army officer. He was a former Commander of the Sri Lankan Army (1981 – 1985) and first General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Joint Oper ...

1972-1976 * Colonel Henry Athukorale 1976-1977 * Colonel M Medawala 1977-1977 * Colonel G D Fernando 1977-1978

Notable Members

General A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". O ...

Nalin Seneviratne - former staff officer, TAFII * Lt. General Denzil Kobbekaduwa - former staff officer, TAFIIGeneral Denzil L. Kobbekaduwa - a hero and genuine leader
/ref> *

Lt. Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...

Gotabaya Rajapaksa Lieutenant Colonel Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa ( si, නන්දසේන ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂ; ta, நந்தசேன கோட்டாபய ராஜபக்ஷ; born 20 June 1949) is a former Sri Lankan militar ...

- former signals officer, TAFII *

Brigadier Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. In ...

M. H. Gunaratne Brigadier M. H. Gunaratne, VSV, psc, SLAC (1930 - ) was a Sri Lankan military officer, former Commander Security Forces Headquarters - East (SF HQ (E)), Commander, Task Force I and Task Force III and Commandant, Army Training Centre

- Officer Commanding Troops, TAFII *

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

D.W. Hapuarachchi - Officer Commanding Troops, TAFII *

Bertie Dias - Officer Commanding Troops, TAFII

References

{{reflist Fromer commands of the Sri Lanka Army Military units and formations of the Sri Lanka Army Illegal immigration India–Sri Lanka relations Indian emigrants to Sri Lanka Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka