Pakistani intelligence sources say Kashmir troop withdrawals agreed
Intelligence sources in Islamabad have told dpa that India and Pakistan have agreed to reduce their troop deployments along the disputed border in Kashmir.
The numbers of troops stationed there are to be reduced to the level they were at before the recent confrontation between the two countries, the intelligence sources said on Tuesday.
The process is to begin in the coming days, they said.
The two neighbouring countries have conflicting claims to the Himalayan region of Kashmir and each controls a part of it, separated by a military line of control.
A reduction in troops would be an important step towards maintaining the ceasefire agreed by the two rival nuclear powers after mutual airstrikes earlier this month.
Shortly after the ceasefire was announced, the Indian army stated that both countries would consider reducing their troop numbers in the border regions.
The armed clashes between the neighbouring states were triggered by a terrorist attack in the Indian-administered part of Kashmir on April 22, which left 26 people dead.
New Delhi accused Pakistan of involvement in the attack, which Islamabad denied. Two weeks after the attack, the Indian army attacked several targets in Pakistan and the Pakistani-administered part of Kashmir.
This led to fierce fighting on the border and mutual airstrikes. On May 10, both countries unexpectedly announced a ceasefire.
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