Australian prime minister says 200 troops to be withdrawn from East Timor

On Sunday 200 Australian troops will be withdrawing from East Timor because security has improved in the nation since rebel soldiers wounded the president.

When the troop withdrawal happens on Sunday there will be 750 Australian troops left in East Timor and that will be the same amount of troops that were there before Jose Ramos-Horta, East Timor's President, was shot back in February. Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd released a statement on Saturday and said that the draw down in Australian forces shows that security has improved in the country. The attack on Ramos-Horta was almost killed on Feb. 11 when he was attacked by mutinous soldiers. The same day that he was attacked East Timor's Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao was also ambushed but he escaped unharmed. The rebel leader Alfredo Reinado was killed by the president's guards and most of the suspects who were involved in the attacks have been captured. The government of East Timor agreed with Australia's decision to withdraw troops and they also agree that the security situation is now stable. Two years ago East Timor's government invited international forces to restore order and even with 750 troops in the country Australia will still remain the leader of the 900-strong international force. More than 100,000 people were forced to vacant their homes and dozens of people have been killed in clashes between rebels and government troops in Dill.