Hostage Rescue | How Sri Lanka’s Air Force Saved 3 Lives in Africa

Report Summary

On 19 October 2026, the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Aviation Unit, operating under the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), executed a successful high-risk hostage rescue operation. The mission freed three civilians who had been captive for over eight months and involved three Mi-17 transport helicopters, combat personnel, a tactical negotiation team, and an Air Medical Evacuation Team logging over 18 cumulative flight hours.