Army withdrawing 39 Mountain Division from J&K
Srinagar: An Army division, comprising around 15,000 troops, is being withdrawn from Jammu and Kashmir and some of its units have already returned to its base in Himachal Pradesh, a senior Army officer said on Tuesday.
On withdrawal of 39 Mountain Division from Rajouri and Poonch border districts to its base in Palampur in Himachal Pradesh, General Officer Commanding (GOC), 9 Corps Lt Gen GM Nair said, "This division is being shifted. Some of its units have already reached its base in HP."
The shifting of the division from the districts in Jammu and Kashmir comes close on the demand of separatists and opposition PDP to withdraw troops from the state in view of the improved security situation there.
"The entire division has not been moved fully so far. It will take some time," the GOC said.
39 Mountain Division was shifted to Rajouri and Poonch districts to assist joint security grid in conducting counter insurgency operations and undertake counter infiltration measures in 1994.
Bureau Report
Army withdrawing 39 Mountain Division from J&K