Colombo, May 22 : More than 15,000 soldiers who had deserted the Sri Lankan army have received a legal discharge from their duties during a month-long amnesty period declared by the Ministry of Defence, the army said in a statement here.

The general amnesty was announced from April 20 to May 20, 2024, during which army absentees were allowed to legally discharge themselves from the army in coordination with their respective regimental centers, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the statement, by the end of the amnesty period, a total of 15,667 army personnel who were absent from their duties without leave since December 31, 2023, and earlier, have been temporarily discharged from their regimental centers.

The Sri Lankan army said that among those discharged, 373 army deserters were presently residing overseas and absent from their duties without leave.

/IANS