Two battalions withdrawn

DILI, East Timor: The Armed Forces (ABRI) has pulled two army battalions from East Timor, reducing the size of the military in the province to five battalions.

East Timor Military Commander Col. Mahidin Simbolon said the two infantry battalions would not be replaced.

An infantry battalion normally consists of 600 soldiers.

With their departure, there are now five infantry battalions doing territorial work, plus some combat troopers whose size is still smaller than one battalion, Antara reported.

The territorial troopers have been deployed in the province chiefly to conduct civic works, including rural development.

The two battalions withdrawn were sent back to their home commands, one in Tanjungpura (East Kalimantan) and another in Sriwijaya (South Sumatra). (yac/rms)