Major General Trond Furuhovde, head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), is expected to undergo further treatment in Sri Lanka following the removal of two tumours from his intestines.

Maj. Gen. Furuhovde, who underwent surgery at the Apollo Hospital in Colombo, has been recommended further treatment to ensure that the cancer does not spread, SLMM said in a statement yesterday.

Chief of Staff, Wagn Winkel, has been appointed acting head of mission until further notice, it said.

Maj. Gen. Furuhovde returned to Sri Lanka on January 31, 2004 to serve another year as head of mission.