Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 7

The Army has silently moved out of Kashmir two of its additional brigades deployed during last year’s unrest to calm down the situation.Five battalions under the two brigades were deployed in the worst-hit Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama districts of south Kashmir and frontier Kupwara district of north Kashmir during the peak of unrest.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)A senior defence official said the additional battalions started moving out in January as the situation improved. “The additional two brigades have completely moved out,” the officer said.The Army had last year launched “Operation Calm Down” to restore normalcy in the Valley, almost two months after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in July that led to massive unrest.Over 4,000 additional troops were deployed in volatile districts. According to human right groups, over 90 people were killed during the unrest. However, the J&K Government claims 76 civilians and two policemen died.The soldiers were engaged in area domination and round-the-clock patrolling in volatile areas alongside Rashtriya Rifles battalions.