Demolition of the final British army watchtowers has begun in south Armagh. Soldiers began the dismantling work early yesterday aided by Chinook helicopters brought in to carry out heavy lifting work.
Five towers dotted across Camlough Mountain, Jonesborough Hill and Croslieve Hill will be returned to green-field status in accordance with a "security normalisation" plan announced by the British government after last summer's IRA announcement that it was standing down units.
Eight towers have already been dismantled since December 1999. Last August the British government said troop numbers would be halved, local British army battalions stood down and British army support for the police would end within two years.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern, the SDLP and Sinn Féin welcomed yesterday's demilitarisation, while unionists signalled caution.
The Minister said the dismantling work "is yet another tangible demonstration of the transformed security situation in Northern Ireland, and of the benefits it brings to everyone".
Sinn Féin MP for Newry Armagh Conor Murphy said his constituents had been frustrated by the slow rate of change in their locality but added "people are happy to see it happening now".
However, DUP Assembly member Arlene Foster said the dismantling was "premature and flawed", while UUP deputy leader Danny Kennedy said: "There is still a significant level of threat posed by dissident republicans and we feel the government really has no excuse to continue in the manner they are progressing."
