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India to pull out of UN force in Sierra Leone: AFP

India has told the United Nations it is pulling out of the UN peacekeeping force which it leads in Sierra Leone, the UN spokesman said Wednesday.

The decision "caught us a little flat-footed", spokesman Fred Eckhard said.

He was speaking hours after the UN Security Council voted to extend the mandate of the UN mission in Sierra Leone for just over three months while it considers a recommendation to increase it by 7,500 troops to 20,500. India has 3,059 soldiers in UNAMSIL, which is under the command of Major-General Vijay Jetley, an Indian officer.

Nigeria has provided the largest contingent of 3,205 troops.

The Indians "told us that they ready to serve in other missions, which we welcome", Eckhard said.

On why they wanted to pull out, he said, "They want to give other countries an opportunity to contribute troops."

Diplomats said the Indian withdrawal would be phased over about two months to give the UN time to find other troops.

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