| Army Headquarters | |
|---|---|
| Colombo, Western Province | |
| Type | Military Headquarters |
| In use | 1940s – present |
| Controlled by | Sri Lanka Army |
| Garrison | Ministry of Defence, Sri Lanka Engineers, Sri Lanka Army Women's Corps, Sri Lanka Rifle Corps |
Army Headquarters refers to the military headquarters complex of the Sri Lanka Army. Situated next to Galle Face Green and long the Lower Lake Road, this complex also includes the Ministry of Defence. Apart from operational and administrative offices, it contains the regimental centers of several regiments and corps of the Sri Lanka Army. Until 2006 the Colombo Military Hospital was based here, however it was moved suburb of Colombo in 2007. It is also the location of the Army Sports Grounds.
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The base's origins goes back to British colonial rule of Ceylon, with it being expanded during World War II. When the Ceylon army was formed in 1949 following the independence of Ceylon, the base was used as its headquarters.
The LTTE has carried out two suicide bombings at the army headquarters on two occasions. The first on November 24, 1995 when two female suicide bombers blew themselves up outside army headquarters killing 16 people (mostly civilians). The second terrorist attack occurred on April 25, 2006 another female LTTE suicide bomber, disguised as a pregnant women coming for clinical treatment at the Colombo Military Hospital, blew her self up targeting Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka's staff car. Although seriously wounded the general survived, but eight others were killed and thirty more wounded. This prompted the moving of the Military Hospital to a suburb of Colombo.