UK Abandons Plans to Fully Withdraw Troops from Germany by 2020: Reports
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - UK State Secretary for Defense Gavin Williamson has ordered hundreds of the country's servicemen to stay on the German territory despite earlier plans for the troops' complete withdrawal, local media reported on Sunday.
The UK original plans provided for the full withdrawal of troops by 2020, but Williamson's order stipulates that 200 UK servicemen and their family members will remain in Germany after this deadline, The Sunday Times newspaper reported.
According to the news outlet, those who will not return home will be the soldiers belonging to the engineer regiment.
The UK servicemen will also keep its Sennelager base in Germany's north-west intended for practicing tank warfare and large-scale manoeuvres, Sputnik reported.
Besides, London also plans to maintain a facility for armored vehicles in the city of Monchengladbach.
The sources in the UK Defense Ministry explained that Williamson's order should demonstrate to Russia that the United Kingdom will continue to defend Europe even after Brexit.
The United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union in June 2016, with the negotiations between the two parties expected to last until March 29, 2019.
