30,000 troops withdrawn from Kashmir: Antony

18 December 2009

NEW DELHI: Defense minister A K Antony on Friday announced that the Center has withdrawn around 30,000 troops from Jammu and Kashmir.

A K Antony said two Army divisions comprising around 30,000 troops have been moved out of Kashmir in the wake of improvement in the security situation there.

Addressing reporters Antony said, "Two Army divisions comprising around 30,000 troops have been moved out of Kashmir due to improvement in the situation there."

"Whenever we feel the situation has improved or is improving we will further reduce the visibility and presence of the Army in the state... it is because of the presence of the army that we have been able to counter terrorism in the state," Antony added.

The Army has begun withdrawing troops from the Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir in a move seen as a confidence building measure to get Kashmiri separatists, especially the hardliners, on board for talks.

The twin districts of Rajouri and Poonch were brought under the Disturbed Area Act along with the Kashmir Valley in July 1990 and the security forces were given special powers under Armed Forces Special Powers Act around the same time.

The two districts have a 200 km Line of Control with Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Antony made the announcement just days after home minister P Chidambaram informed the Parliament, that troop reduction in Jammu and Kashmir was on the cards considering improvement in the overall security situation in the northern state.

Reacting to the Chidambaram's statement, former state chief minister and union minister for new and renewable sources of energy Farooq Abdullah had said that the home minister had finally given good news to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

"Reduction in the number of troops deployed in the state would definitely ease the tensions here and herald the beginning of peace and development in the state," Abdullah had said.