30,000 Troops Withdrawn From Held Kashmir: Antony

Friday, December 18, 2009 at 4:29 pm

NEW DELHI: Indian defence minister AK Antony on Friday stated that the armed forces require special powers to counter terrorism and insurgency in Kashmir and the northeast.

“As long as their (armed forces) presence is necessary, they need special provisions. They cannot function without special powers,” Antony told reporters in Delhi.

Antony also announced that the government has withdrawn around 30,000 troops from Kashmir.

He 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.