Troops of a foreign country are not stationed anywhere in the country for a military role, top army generals told state media in a series of interviews on Monday night.
In the first interview, Chief of Defense Forces Major General Abdulla Shamaal stressed that there are no military bases or regions that are not under the control of the Maldives military.
"What we want to note on behalf of the army is that there aren't any places or military bases where Maldivian soldiers do not exercise authority. And as I believe that opportunity won't be allowed to anyone in the future."
Aside from Shamaal, Vice Chief of Defense Forces Major General Abdul Raheem Abdul Latheef, Major General Wais Waheed, Major General Hamid Shafeeq, Brigadier General Ibrahim Hilmy, Brigadier General Dr. Ali Shahid Mohamed, Brigadier General Ahmed Giyas and Brigadier General Ismail Rasheed gave interviews to PSM last night.
All the generals mainly assured the public that there are no foreign soldiers in the Maldives for "military purposes." Military exercises in the country are also conducted under the supervision of the Maldivian military, they said.
Indian soldiers who operate the two helicopters and Dornier aircraft donated by India are based in the country for "humanitarian" work and their operations are carried out under the full command of the Maldives military, the generals said.
The aircraft are used for “search and rescue” and “medical evacuation” operations, Shamaal said. The naval dockyard in Uthuru Thila Falhu is also under the full control of the Maldivian military and construction work is done by “commercial” contractors, the army chief said.
The opposition has been alleging that the government has compromised the country's sovereignty by handing over military powers to a foreign country.
