By August next year the number of British troops serving in Northern Ireland will be down to pre-Troubles garrison-force levels of 5,000 or less, the British government has announced.
British armed forces minister Adam Ingram also said yesterday that the number of British army bases in the North will be radically cut from just under 40 to 14 military sites.
At the height of the Troubles in 1972 there were almost 26,000 troops in Northern Ireland, but Mr Ingram confirmed yesterday that the British government is to press ahead with its demilitarisation plans, which will see more than 4,000 soldiers leaving the North in the next 16 months.
This will mark the formal end of Operation Banner, which operated for most of the conflict. It has lasted 35 years and is the longest military operation in British army history.
By July 31st the five remaining watchtowers in south Armagh will be demolished and the British army will withdraw from most remaining bases they share with the police - including Crossmaglen and Newtownhamilton in south Armagh. It will also leave and hand over for disposal its bases in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, and Portadown, Co Armagh.
The demilitarisation will have implications for the 3,000 British ministry of defence civilians who work with the British army.
