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Swedish military official to head UN Military Observers Group in India, Pakistan

Xinhua, June 9, 2016 Adjust font size:

A senior Swedish military official has been appointed as the head of United Nations Military Observers Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), a statement issued by UN said.

"United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Major General Per Lodin of Sweden as the head of the United Nations mission tasked with monitoring the ceasefire line between India and Pakistan.," reads the statement from Secretary-General's office on Wednesday.

Lodin succeeds Major General Delali Johnson Sakyi of Ghana.

Sakyi who was appointed in 2014 will complete his two-year term next month.

According to UN, Lodin joined Swedish army in 1978 and recently held the position of director of procurement and logistics for the Swedish armed forces.

The offices of UNMOGIP were set up in disputed Kashmir region in 1949 to monitor the cease-fire line, now known as Line of Control (LoC).

The LoC is a de facto border that divides Kashmir into India and Pakistan controlled parts.

The offices of UNMOGIP are situated in Srinagar and Islamabad. From May to October the headquarters remain in Srinagar, while as from November to April, it is shifted to Islamabad.

The UNMOGIP mission has the mandate to supervise the cease-fire line between India and Pakistan in Kashmir. It also observes and reports on cease-fire violations along the LoC, besides reporting developments that could lead to cease-fire violations.

Cease-fire violations are routinely recorded on LoC. Both New Delhi and Islamabad blame each other's troops for resorting to unprovoked firings and stoking tensions between the nuclear neighbours.

Separatists in the region as part of protests often call for a march to UNMOGIP office in Srinagar. The groups submit memorandums seeking international intervention in the resolution of Kashmir issue and implementation of UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions about holding of plebiscite in the restive region.

The UNMOGIP has strength of 44 military observers, 25 international civilian personnel and 47 local civilian staff.

The observer group is financed by the United Nations regular budget and appropriations for biennium 2014 - 2015 are 19.64 million US dollars.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in full. Since their Independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.

Anti-India sentiment runs deep in the psyche of majority of Kashmiris seeking end of New Delhi's rule.

A guerrilla war is also going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in the restive region since 1989. Endit