Sri Lankan officials briefed regarding arrest of sniper

Maldivian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Zahiya Zareer has met with Sri Lankan officials to brief them about the arrest of a Sri Lankan sniper in the Maldives.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs tweeted this morning, “HC Zaahiya Meets Sri Lanka FS & briefs about the arrest of Sri Lankan national suspected of conspiring to assassinate Maldives President.”

HC Zaahiya Meets Sri Lanka FS & briefs about the arrest of Sri Lankan national suspected of conspiring to assassinate Maldives President

— MFA-Maldives (@MDVForeign) November 9, 2015

Yesterday, Colombo Gazette reported the Maldives High Commission in Colombo saying that it has not, in anyway, breached the diplomatic protocols established with Sri Lanka.

This came in relation to the arrest and expelling of Maldivian national, Ahmed Ashraf (Shumba Gong), from Sri Lanka on 2 November 2015.

According to Colombo Gazette Ashraf was arrested by the Sri Lankan authorities after the government of Maldives made a formal request to the Sri Lankan government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka on 30 October 2015, to arrest Ashraf and send him back to the Maldives as soon as possible.

At the time of his arrest, Ashraf reportedly did not have a valid travel document to remain in Sri Lanka.

Colombo Gazette quoted the Maldives High Commission, “No country will allow a foreigner to remain in the country without a valid travel document. The Government of Maldives highly appreciates the gesture of goodwill shown by the Sri Lankan Government in apprehending Ashraf. The High Commission wishes to note that the law enforcement agencies of the Maldives and Sri Lanka have excellent relationship that has worked well for both the countries.”