 "'Just another in a string of lies': Maldives ex-minister slams president Muizzu's Indian troops claim")
The assertions made by Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu concerning “thousands of Indian military personnel” were refuted on Saturday by former Foreign Affairs Minister Abdulla Shahid, who also stated that there are no foreign soldiers with guns stationed in the nation.
“100 days in, it’s clear: President Muizzu’s claims of ’thousands of Indian military personnel’ were just another in a string of lies. The current administration’s inability to provide specific numbers speaks volumes. There are no armed foreign soldiers stationed in the country,” the newly elected president of the Maldivian Democratic Party said in a statement on social media platform X.
He also emphasized the importance of openness and the need for the truth to win out.
“Transparency matters, and the truth must prevail,” he stated.
Notably, the primary demand made by Muizzu’s party during the election campaign was the withdrawal of Indian troops from the Maldives. There are currently about 70 Indian soldiers in the Maldives, as well as two HAL Dhruv helicopters and two Dornier 228 maritime patrol planes.
Muizzu formally asked the Indian government to remove its military soldiers from the Maldives on his second day in office.
Muizzu asserted in December of last year that an agreement to remove Indian military soldiers had been reached following discussions with the Indian administration.
Additionally, the Maldives president announced that diplomatic talks to remove Indian troops were in progress. He explained that military personnel on one of the three aviation platforms will be removed by March 10, 2024, as per the terms of the most recent discussions, while military personnel on the other two platforms would be removed before May 10, 2024.
The Ministry of External Affairs announced earlier this month that India will substitute qualified Indian technical staff for military personnel stationed at aviation installations in the Maldives.
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