Special Task Force (Sri Lanka)

The Special Task Force (STF) was formed in 1983 to operate as a Counter-Terrorist force in Sri Lanka, not as a military force but rather a highly-specialised police unit. It heads the Counter-Terrorist mission and – as the most highly trained police organisation – would be the lead unit whenever law enforcement forces react against the LTTE. The STF has been stationed in the Eastern Province in Sri Lanka where the LTTE organisation is active. Other units are based in Colombo and they are used as VIP security. They have received training from the British SAS as well as the security forces of Pakistan.

The STF has so far acted to try prevent the creation of a Tamil state by the Tamil Tigers on the North and Eastern regions of Sri Lanka by running operations in those areas.

However the STF has generally been unsuccessful in preventing LTTE suicide attacks on Sri Lankan political and military VIPs due to tactics employed by the LTTE.

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A Special Task Force was constituted by Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to nab forest bandits and sandalwood smugglers.