SriLanka, Nov. 1 -- Approximately 86 percent of the State and privately owned land occupied by the Sri Lanka Army in the Northern and the Eastern Provinces has been released to date, with a further 185.73 acres set to be released within the next two months.

By October 28, the Army had returned 73,568 acres of the 85,549 acres it occupied in the two provinces by 2009. The released land comprises 49,304 acres of State land and 24,264 acres of private land. Kilinochchi tops the list, with 25,196 acres released to their original owners.

This year, the Army has released 209 acres of State land and 11.23 acres of private land in Jaffna, Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts. Another 160 acres of State land and 25 acres of private land in the N...