[font=Verdana]Work has started to remove the last British army watchtowers in south [/font][font=Verdana]Armagh[/font][font=Verdana], the military has said.[/font]

[font=Verdana]The removal of the towers was announced in August 2005, as part of the security normalization process. [/font]

[font=Verdana]Dismantling the five towers on [/font][font=Verdana]Camlough[/font][font=Verdana]Mountain[/font][font=Verdana], Jonesborough Hill and Croslieve Hill began on Monday. [/font]

[font=Verdana]The hilltop sites will be returned to [/font][font=Verdana]greenfield[/font][font=Verdana] status and a 'blue light' emergency services radio mast will remain on Croslieve Hill. [/font]

[font=Verdana]The sangars - fortified defense posts - on top of the towers will be removed by RAF Chinook helicopter and Army engineers have been preparing the sites. [/font]

[font=Verdana]Eight towers have already been dismantled since December 1999 on [/font][font=Verdana]Sturgan[/font][font=Verdana]Mountain[/font][font=Verdana], [/font][font=Verdana]Camlough[/font][font=Verdana]Mountain[/font][font=Verdana], Glassdrumman, Cloghoge, Tievecrom, Sugerloaf Hill, Creevekeeran and Drummuckavall. [/font]

[font=Verdana]At present there are just over 9,000 troops in the province, but that will be reduced to no more than 5,000 by 1 August 2007. [/font]

[font=Verdana]The moves are part of the end of Operation Banner, the Army's support role for the police during the Troubles. [/font]

[font=Verdana]It has been running for 35 years and is the longest operation in British army history. [/font]

[font=Verdana]It will end on 1 August next year. [/font]