Sri Lanka has turned down a request from the United States to temporarily station two missile-armed warplanes at its civilian airport in the south of the island. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told parliament that the US wanted to move the aircraft from a base in Djibouti to Mattala International Airport from March 4 to 8.

The president said the government refused the request to keep Sri Lanka neutral and to ensure its territory is not used for military purposes that could benefit or harm any country. He did not specify whether the US planned to use the planes for action against Iran as reported by AFP.