By Subir Bhaumik

Kolkata, Apr 18 (IANS): With the return of peace in insurgency-affected Assam, the army has started pulling out of areas where normalcy has returned.

"Assam has been a hotbed of insurgency over the last few decades. Various parts of the state have been under the strict vigilance of the Indian Army. However, with continued efforts over time, many of the insurgency affected districts are gradually returning to normal," army press office said in a statement.

With incidents of violence at their lowest in nearly three decades, deployed troops of the Red Horns Division are being withdrawn from active insurgency (CI) operations from some districts of western Assam.

The Army has vacated the large Hatsingimari camp in South Salmara.

Camps in Mankachar has also been vacated.

"The camp has been successfully handed over and will now be administered by the local civil administration and the security forces," an army officer in Western Assam said.

The camp's area of responsibility has seen no incidents in the recent past, the officer said.

"Local populace and Ex-servicemen were also present at the time of troops moving out of Company Operating Base. The moving out of the troops was welcomed by the local populace and they thanked the Army for their contribution towards achieving peace and restoring normalcy in the district," they added.

This area has witnessed high pitch insurgency by the ULFA and the Bodo rebel groups in the past.

"When Bangladesh sheltered northeast Indian rebels, these districts were the favourite ingress-egress route of the rebels. But after Hasina government cracked down against them, the area became less volatile," said retired IN official Benu Ghosh who has served in the area.