Home›Weapons Systems›Wars Used In›Sri Lankan Civil WarWarSri Lankan Civil WarContemporaryReference and ClassificationDevelopingThe Sri Lankan Civil War was fought from 1983 to 2009 between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, an insurgent group seeking an independent Tamil state in the island's north and east, amid longstanding tension between the Sinhalese majority and the Tamil minority. The Tamil Tigers became known internationally for pioneering the large-scale, organized use of suicide bombing as a battlefield and assassination tactic, and the war passed through several rounds of failed negotiation and ceasefire over its quarter-century course. The conflict ended in May 2009 when government forces, in a final offensive that also caused significant civilian casualties drawing international scrutiny, cornered and killed Tamil Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, effectively destroying the organization and ending the insurgency.FactsSri Lankan Civil WarConnectionsSourcesComments (0)Reader Challenges (0)FactsStart YearWell-attested1983 1End YearWell-attested2009 1CombatantsWell-attestedSri Lanka; Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam 1OutcomeWell-attestedSri Lankan government victory 1ClassificationDeath Toll MinWell-attested80,000 to 100,000 1Conflict TypeWell-attestedCivil War 1Sri Lankan Civil WarFilter Results26 entriesWeapon FamilyAllArmored Cars and Reconnaissance Vehicles (2)Assault Rifles (4)Assault Rifles of China (3)Assault Rifles of Russia and the Soviet Union (1)General-Purpose and Medium Machine Guns (1)Grenade Launchers (1)Heavy Machine Guns (2)Infantry Fighting Vehicles and Armored Personnel Carriers (3)Land Mines (1)Man-Portable Air Defense Systems (3)Pistols and Revolvers (2)Rifles and Carbines (4)Semi-Automatic Pistols (2)Semi-Automatic Pistols of Asia-Pacific (1)Semi-Automatic Pistols of Belgium (1)Submachine Guns (3)Tanks (3)Weapon Type or ClassAll40mm grenade launcher (1)Amphibious armoured personnel carrier (1)Armored fighting vehicle (3)Armoured car (1)Assault rifle (3)Bullpup assault rifle (1)Directional anti-personnel mine (1)Field gun / gun-howitzer (1)General-purpose machine gun (1)Heavy machine gun (2)Main battle tank (1)Man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) (1)Medium tank (2)roller-delayed blowback submachine gun (1)Semi-automatic pistol (2)Submachine gun (2)CaliberAll.22 Long Rifle (3).40 S&W (3).41 Action Express (1).45 ACP (1)100 mm ammunition (1)100mm (1)10mm Auto (2)12.7x108mm (4)125mm (1)14.5x114mm (1)30mm (1)40mm (2)40x46mm (1)5.45x39mm (1)5.8x42mm (1)7.62x25mm (1)7.62x39mm (2)7.62x51mm NATO (3)7.62x54mmR (1)7.62×25mm Tokarev (1)87.6mm (1)9x19mm (5)9×19 mm Parabellum (3)9×21mm (1)Introduced EraAll1935 (1)1938 (1)1940 (1)1941 (1)1948 (1)1951 (2)1952 (2)1954 (2)1956 (1)1958 (2)1960 (1)1966 (2)1967 (1)1973 (1)1974 (2)1978 (1)1981 (3)1983 (2)1985 (2)1986 (1)1995 (1)1997 (1)Service StatusAllIn Service (25)Retired (1)OperatorAllAustralian Defence Force (2)Brazilian Army (1)British Army (5)Bundeswehr (3)Canadian Armed Forces (1)Egyptian Armed Forces (2)Finnish Defence Forces (3)Hezbollah (1)Indian Army (2)Israeli Defense Forces (3)Mexican Armed Forces (2)People's Liberation Army (6)Red Army (3)Royal Air Force (2)Russian Armed Forces (1)Soviet Armed Forces (3)Spanish Armed Forces (1)Turkish Armed Forces (1)United States Armed Forces (2)Waffen-SS (1)Wehrmacht (1)ManufacturerAllAlvis Car and Engineering Company Ltd (1)Bangladesh Ordnance Factories (1)China North Industries Group Corporation Limited (6)Daimler Company (2)FN Herstal (3)GAZ (1)General Dynamics Corporation (2)Heckler & Koch (3)IMI Systems (1)John Inglis Company (1)Kalashnikov Concern (1)KBM (1)Malyshev Factory (2)Raytheon (2)Royal Ordnance (1)Tula Arms Plant (1)Uralvagonzavod (1)Show ResultsBrowseCompareSelect all 2625-Pounder GunSri Lankan Civil War9K38 IglaSri Lankan Civil WarAK-74Sri Lankan Civil WarAlvis SaracenSri Lankan Civil WarBrowning Hi-PowerSri Lankan Civil WarBTR-80Sri Lankan Civil WarDaimler armoured carSri Lankan Civil WarDShKSri Lankan Civil WarFerret armoured carSri Lankan Civil WarFIM-92 StingerSri Lankan Civil WarFN MAGSri Lankan Civil WarHeckler & Koch HK69A1Sri Lankan Civil WarHeckler & Koch MP5Sri Lankan Civil WarM18 Claymore MineSri Lankan Civil WarMP5 Submachine GunSri Lankan Civil WarQBZ-95Sri Lankan Civil WarStinger MissileSri Lankan Civil WarT-54/T-55Sri Lankan Civil WarT-55Sri Lankan Civil WarT-72Sri Lankan Civil WarType 54 pistolSri Lankan Civil WarType 56 Assault RifleSri Lankan Civil WarType 63 (armoured personnel carrier)Sri Lankan Civil WarType 81 assault rifleSri Lankan Civil WarUziSri Lankan Civil WarW85 heavy machine gunSri Lankan Civil WarConnectionsUses25-Pounder Gun, Weapons Systems Well-attested Source Wikipedia: Ordnance QF 25-pounder9K38 Igla, Weapons Systems Well-attested Source Wikipedia: 9K38 Iglatier 2AK-74, Weapons Systems Well-attested Source Wikipedia: AK-74tier 4Alvis Saracen, Weapons Systems Well-attested Source Wikipedia: Alvis SaracenBrowning Hi-Power, Weapons Systems Well-attested Source Wikipedia: Browning Hi-Powertier 4BTR-80, Weapons Systems Well-attested Source Wikipedia: BTR-80Daimler armoured car, Weapons Systems Well-attested Source Wikipedia: Daimler armoured carDShK, Weapons Systems Well-attested Source Wikipedia: DShKFerret armoured car, Weapons Systems Well-attested Source Wikipedia: Ferret armoured carFIM-92 Stinger, Weapons Systems Well-attested Source Wikipedia: FIM-92 StingerFN MAG, Weapons Systems Well-attested Source Wikipedia: FN MAGHeckler & Koch HK69A1, Weapons Systems Well-attested Source Wikipedia: Heckler & Koch HK69A1Heckler & Koch MP5, Weapons Systems Well-attested Source Wikipedia: Heckler & Koch MP5M18 Claymore Mine, Weapons Systems Well-attested Source Wikipedia: Claymore mineMP5 Submachine Gun, Weapons Systems Well-attested Source Wikipedia: Heckler & Koch MP5QBZ-95, Weapons Systems Well-attested Source Wikipedia: QBZ-95Stinger Missile, Weapons Systems Well-attested Source Wikipedia: FIM-92 StingerT-54/T-55, Weapons Systems Well-attested Source Wikipedia: T-54/T-55tier 2T-55, Weapons Systems Well-attested Source Wikipedia: T-54/T-55tier 2T-72, Weapons Systems Well-attested Source Wikipedia: T-72tier 2Type 54 pistol, Weapons Systems Well-attested Source Wikipedia: Type 54 pistolType 56 Assault Rifle, Weapons Systems Well-attested Source Wikipedia: Type 56 assault rifleType 63 (armoured personnel carrier), Weapons Systems Well-attested Source Wikipedia: Type 63 (armoured personnel carrier)Type 81 assault rifle, Weapons Systems Well-attested Source Wikipedia: Type 81 assault rifleUzi, Weapons Systems Well-attested Source Wikipedia: Uzitier 4W85 heavy machine gun, Weapons Systems Well-attested Source Wikipedia: W85 heavy machine gunSources1. Sri Lankan civil war - WikipediaLead sectionThe Sri Lankan civil war was fought in Sri Lanka from 1983 to 2009. Beginning on 23 July 1983, it was an intermittent insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE, also known as the Tamil Tigers) led by Velupillai Prabhakaran.Infobox, combatant1/combatant2Sri LankaInfobox, resultSri Lankan government victoryLead textThe Sri Lankan civil war was fought in Sri Lanka from 1983 to 2009.History sectionImmediately following the end of war, on 20 May 2009, the UN estimated a total of 80,000-100,000 deaths.Lead sectionBeginning on 23 July 1983, it was an intermittent insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE, also known as the Tamil Tigers) led by Velupillai Prabhakaran. The LTTE fought to create an independent Tamil state called Tamil Eelam in the north-east of the island in response to continuous discrimination and violent persecution against Sri Lankan Tamils by the predominantly Sinhalese government of Sri Lanka.View the SourceWikipedia: Uzitier 4WikipediaUses: Uzi, infobox wars field: 'Sri Lankan Civil War'View the SourceWikipedia: AK-74tier 4WikipediaUses: AK-74, infobox wars field: 'Sri Lankan Civil War'View the SourceWikipedia: Claymore mineUses: M18 Claymore Mine, infobox wars field: 'Sri Lankan Civil War'View the SourceWikipedia: Heckler & Koch MP5Uses: MP5 Submachine Gun, infobox wars field: 'Sri Lankan Civil War'Uses: Heckler & Koch MP5, infobox wars field: 'Sri Lankan Civil War'View the SourceWikipedia: Browning Hi-Powertier 4WikipediaUses: Browning Hi-Power, infobox wars field: 'Sri Lankan Civil War'View the SourceWikipedia: T-72tier 2WikipediaUses: T-72, infobox wars field: 'Sri Lankan Civil War'View the SourceWikipedia: Ordnance QF 25-pounderUses: 25-Pounder Gun, infobox wars field: 'Sri Lankan civil war'View the SourceWikipedia: FN MAGUses: FN MAG, infobox wars field: 'Sri Lankan Civil War'View the SourceWikipedia: DShKUses: DShK, infobox wars field: 'Sri Lankan Civil War'View the SourceWikipedia: QBZ-95Uses: QBZ-95, infobox wars field: 'Sri Lankan Civil War'View the SourceWikipedia: Ferret armoured carUses: Ferret armoured car, infobox wars field: 'Sri Lankan civil war'View the SourceWikipedia: BTR-80Uses: BTR-80, infobox wars field: 'Sri Lankan Civil War'View the SourceWikipedia: Alvis SaracenUses: Alvis Saracen, infobox wars field: 'Sri Lankan Civil War'View the SourceWikipedia: Type 63 (armoured personnel carrier)Uses: Type 63 (armoured personnel carrier), infobox wars field: 'Sri Lankan Civil War'View the SourceWikipedia: FIM-92 StingerUses: Stinger Missile, Infobox: warsFalklands War Soviet-Afghan War Iran-Iraq War Gulf War Angolan Civil War Sri Lankan Civil War Chadian-Libyan conflict Tajikistani Civil War Kargil War Yugoslav Wars Invasion of Grenada Second Chechen War War in Afghanistan Iraq War Syrian Civil War War in Iraq (2013-2017) Russo-Ukrainian WarUses: FIM-92 Stinger, Infobox: warsFalklands War Soviet-Afghan War Iran-Iraq War Gulf War Angolan Civil War Sri Lankan Civil War Chadian-Libyan conflict Tajikistani Civil War Kargil War Yugoslav Wars Invasion of Grenada Second Chechen War War in Afghanistan Iraq War Syrian Civil War War in Iraq (2013-2017) Russo-Ukrainian WarView the SourceWikipedia: 9K38 Iglatier 2WikipediaUses: 9K38 Igla, Infobox: warsQuote, Uses: 9K38 Igla, Infobox: warsIran War 2026 Iran-Iraq War Sri Lankan Civil War Siachen conflict Somali Civil War Gulf War Yugoslav Wars Bosnian War Cenepa War Second Chechen War Iraq War First Libyan Civil War Syrian civil war Russo-Ukrainian War Sinai insurgency Kurdish-Turkish conflict (2015-present) 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict Gaza war 2026 United States strikes in VenezuelaView the SourceWikipedia: Type 56 assault rifleUses: Type 56 Assault Rifle, Infobox: warsQuote, Uses: Type 56 Assault Rifle, Infobox: warsVietnam War Rhodesian Bush War Cambodian Civil War Laotian Civil War Sino-Vietnamese War Soviet-Afghan War Iran-Iraq War Sri Lankan Civil War Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir Somali Civil War Tuareg rebellion (1990-1995) Persian Gulf War Kosovo War War in Afghanistan (2001-2021) Iraq War Kivu conflict Iraqi insurgency (2011-2013) War in Iraq (2013-2017) OLA insurgency Russo-Ukrainian war 2025 Cambodia-Thailand conflictView the SourceWikipedia: Type 54 pistolUses: Type 54 pistol, Infobox: warsQuote, Uses: Type 54 pistol, Infobox: warsSino-Indian War Vietnam War Indo-Pakistan war of 1971 Laotian Civil War Cambodian Civil War Cambodian-Vietnamese War Rhodesian Bush War Sino-Vietnamese War Sri Lankan Civil War Somali Civil War Kargil war 2025 Cambodia-Thailand conflictView the SourceWikipedia: Heckler & Koch HK69A1Uses: Heckler & Koch HK69A1, Infobox: warsQuote, Uses: Heckler & Koch HK69A1, Infobox: warsTurkish-Kurdish conflict Nicaraguan Revolution Sri Lankan Civil War United States invasion of PanamaView the SourceWikipedia: W85 heavy machine gunUses: W85 heavy machine gun, Infobox: warsQuote, Uses: W85 heavy machine gun, Infobox: warsWar in Darfur Sri Lankan Civil War Northern Mali conflict Syrian Civil War Libyan Civil War Iraqi Civil War Yemeni Civil War Russo-Ukrainian WarView the SourceWikipedia: Type 81 assault rifleUses: Type 81 assault rifle, Infobox: warsQuote, Uses: Type 81 assault rifle, Infobox: warsSino-Vietnamese conflicts Cambodian-Vietnamese War Soviet-Afghan War Iran-Iraq War Sri Lankan Civil War Lord's Resistance Army insurgency Barin uprising Gulf War Croatian War of Independence Bosnian War Kosovo War Kargil War War in Afghanistan (2001-2021) Iraq War Boko Haram insurgency Syrian Civil War Internal conflict in Myanmar 2025 Cambodia-Thailand conflictView the SourceWikipedia: T-54/T-55tier 2WikipediaUses: T-55, Wikipedia article textDue to the operation demands of the escalating Sri Lankan Civil War, T-55As of the regiment were deployed in pairs to forward bases to support infantry with limited training.Uses: T-54/T-55, Wikipedia article textDue to the operation demands of the escalating Sri Lankan Civil War, T-55As of the regiment were deployed in pairs to forward bases to support infantry with limited training.View the SourceWikipedia: Daimler armoured carUses: Daimler armoured car, Wikipedia article textQuote, Uses: Daimler armoured car, Wikipedia article textThe Daimlers served with the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps till the late 1990s having served with the 1st Reconnaissance Regiment in the 1971 JVP insurrection and early part of the Sri Lankan civil war most notably during the First Battle of Elephant Pass in which at least one Daimler was knocked out.View the SourceComments (0)No comments yet. 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