Nearly 3,000 deserters have returned to their ranks in the Army in the recent past, said the Army Headquarters in a statement.

It said personnel who have deserted the military still had an opportunity to report for duty.

The statement came as island wide search operations are in progress to apprehend deserters.

The military court has already handed down prison terms to 305 deserters who have been arrested.

A total of 700 such personnel are to be court-martialed, the statement added.