Former Maldivian minister accuses President Muizzu of spreading 'Lies' about presence of Indian troops
President Mohamed Muizzu regarding the presence of «thousands of Indian military personnel» in the Maldives. Shahid stated that there are no armed foreign soldiers stationed in the country, labeling Muizzu's assertions as «just another in a string of lies.»
In a social media post, Shahid, who is also the newly elected president of the Maldivian Democratic Party, emphasized the importance of transparency and the need for the truth to prevail. He highlighted the current administration's failure to provide specific numbers, questioning the credibility of Muizzu's claims.
The removal of Indian troops from the Maldives was a key campaign promise of Muizzu's party. Currently, approximately 70 Indian troops, along with Dornier 228 maritime patrol aircraft and two HAL Dhruv helicopters, are stationed in the Maldives. Muizzu had formally requested the Indian government to withdraw its military personnel from the country on the second day of assuming office.
In December last year, Muizzu announced that an agreement had been reached with the Indian government to withdraw military personnel from the Maldives. Diplomatic negotiations are said to be underway, with the withdrawal of military personnel from one of the three aviation platforms expected before March 10, 2024, and the withdrawal from the remaining two platforms before May 10, 2024.
The Ministry of External Affairs of India has confirmed that Indian military personnel at aviation platforms in the Maldives will be replaced with competent Indian technical personnel.
