Sri Lanka, Feb. 4 -- UN experts, echoing calls by local human rights and civil society organizations, have demanded the operation, which is being carried out jointly by the Sri Lankan Police and the Police Special Task Force (STF), be stopped immediately.

Allegations of human rights violations, indiscriminate arrests by the police and the STF, harassment and abuse of civilians during searches form the basis of the calls for the immediate cessation of the operation.

In the first month of operation, from December 17, 2023, to January 17, 2024, a total of 38,525 people were arrested, with the Ministry of Public Security claiming drugs worth Rs 4.7 billion had been seized during this period.

Since January 17, several hundreds have been arr...