Mattala: The first phase of the cleaning project at the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport surrounding area has been successfully completed. This initiative was conducted under the guidance of the Ministry of Defence and the instructions of the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo RSP ctf-ndu psc IG, with supervision by Chief Field Engineer, Brigadier C.D. Wickramanayake WWV RSP ndc.

According to Ministry of Defence, the project is considered a significant national mission focused on maintaining and enhancing the strategic property of the International Airport, a vital national asset, for the benefit of the entire country. The cleaning initiative commenced on 09 June 2025 and concluded on 07 August 2025.

The operation was carried out using plant engineering machinery belonging to the Sri Lanka Engineers, with participation from troops of the 6 Field Engineer Regiment. During this first phase, an area of 78.8 hectares of the airfield premises was effectively cleared.