A.F. Lafir

A. Fazly Laphir
Born	Kandy, Sri Lanka
Died	19 July 1996 Mullaitivu, Sri Lanka
Allegiance	Sri Lanka
Service/branch	Army
Rank	Colonel
Unit	Sri Lanka Army Special Forces Regiment
Commands held	Commanding Officer of the 1st Special Forces Regiment
Battles/wars	Sri Lankan civil war
Awards	Parama Weera Vibhushanaya Rana Wickrama Padakkama Rana Sura Padakkama

Colonel A. F. Lafir, PWV, RWP, RSP, SF (last name also spelled Laffeer; died July 19, 1996 †) was a Sri Lankan army officer who was the Commanding Officer of the 1st Special Forces Regiment. Colonel Lafir played a major role in the formation and development of the Sri Lanka Army Special Forces Regiment from the original Combat Tracker Team. He was awarded the Parama Weera Vibhushanaya, the highest award for valour of the Sri Lanka Army.

Laphir(Lafir), a muslim, attended St. Anthony's College, Kandy and joined the army as a cadet officer soon after leaving school. After his training he was transferred to the Rajarata Rifles Infantry Regiment, following its amalgamation with the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment to create the Gajaba Regiment, he was transferred to the 1st Gajaba Regiment.

Laphir served in many parts of the country including the North and Eastern provinces as result of the escalating Sri Lankan Civil War and also in the southern parts of the country due to the Insurrection 1987-89 in the south. Due to his knowledge of the Tamil language led him to being appointed to carry out intelligence duties in the East.

Originally starting out as Combat Tracker Team the Sri Lanka Army Special Forces Regiment was established in 1986, Laphir as Lieutenant was one of the founding members and played a key role in developing it into a formidable Special Forces unit, which specialized in rapid deployment operations counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism warfare, reconnaissance and battle space preparation in the medium and deep battle-space and Jungle warfare.

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