53 Division (Sri Lanka)

53 Division
Active1995 - Present
CountrySri Lanka
AllegianceSri Lanka
BranchSri Lanka Army
TypeInfantry
RoleAir assault
Airlift
Anti-tank warfare
Artillery observer
Bomb disposal
CBRN defense
Close air support
Close-quarters combat
Combined arms
Counterinsurgency
Fire support
HUMINT
Indirect fire
Jungle warfare
Maneuver warfare
Raiding
Reconnaissance
Tracking
Urban warfare
SizeDivision ~ 20,000+ troops
Part ofI Corps
HeadquartersInamaluwa, Dambulla
EngagementsSri Lankan Civil War

The 53 Division is an elite combined infantry division of the Sri Lanka Army. Trained and formed in 1996 under the leadership of US military officers, the unit was used as a principal offensive division during the War, having been deployed for combat operations in the Jaffna Peninsula, and was under the command of Security Forces Headquarters - Jaffna. The brigades of the 53 Division are also trained by the US Special Forces, which have been closely involved with its development and training since 1997. The 53 division consists of the Airmobile Brigade, a Mechanised Infantry Brigade and a Special Forces Brigade. At present, it is headquartered at Inamaluwa, Dambulla and serves as one of two infantry divisions in the Reserve Strike Force (RSF) under the direct command of the I Corps capable of acting as a rapid reaction force (RRF).[1]

  1. ^ "53 Division Commemorates Its 24th Anniversary". army.lk. Sri Lanka Army. Retrieved 5 May 2021.