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| India-Pakistan |
| India withdraws 5K troops from Jammu and Kashmir |
| 2006-02-07 |
| India has withdrawn nearly 5,000 Armymen from the state of Jammu and Kashmir following an improvement in the security situation in the state. According to Indian officials, the decision was taken following consultations at the highest levels of the Indian Army and the Defence Ministry as well as a review of the ground situation in Kashmir. The troops had now been redeployed near Darjeeling in Eastern Indian state of West Bengal. Indian Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee Monday confirmed this today. "The decision has been taken in view of the fact that the level of violence (in Kashmir) has declined. It is a routine exercise undertaken after a review of the situation in the state. Last year we had reduced troops voluntarily". In January, the Indian Army chief had said his force could not be completely withdrawn from Kashmir as suggested by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf. He had said that terrorists were still active in the region and the infrastructure to support them was intact in Pakistan. Pakistani and Indian forces deployed on the frontiers in Jammu and Kashmir have been observing a ceasefire since November 2003. |
| Posted by:Seafarious |