The government has released 136 officers and 4,355 other rankers of the Sri Lanka Army, who had been in prison for deserting their units before the collapse of the LTTE on May 19 this year.

They had been released on a special directive, Chief Government Whip Dinesh Gunawardena said in response to a query raised by UNP Colombo District MP Ravi Karunanayake.

The Minister said that Navy and Air Force personnel had not been imprisoned for deserting their units.

He said that in keeping with government policy, they would not be entitled to pensions or be eligible to join the army again.