A phased withdrawal of around 750 American troops will start in the middle of February and carry on through till the end of March, said Rear Admiral Michael Lefever, Commander of the US Disaster Assistance Center Pakistan.

They would however leave behind equipment worth six millions dollars, including an 84-bed mobile army surgical hospital (MASH), deployed in Muzaffarabad, capital of the Pakistani Kashmir which was the worst hit region.

"The US military is taking a measured approach to our drawdown and we are working diligently to ensure that there is no void in the overall relief/reconstruction efforts created by our departure," LeFever said.

He said since October, the US military had flown over 4,000 sorties on giant Chinooks, delivered over 20 million pounds of humanitarian aid, treated nearly 30,000 patients and cleared over 40,000 tons of debris.

The MASH has treated over 18,000 patients and provided 17,000 vaccinations to 7,800 patients. "This is the last MASH unit in the United States Army. We are excited that this MASH will live on in Pakistan."

The US army will also hand over nearly 30 pieces of engineering equipment including bulldozers, backhoes, dump trucks and generator. It will also provide the Pakistani military with two portable refueling systems.

"Even though the US military presence will be ending 31 March, the US support will never cease, and will never dwindle," LeFever said.

NATO's 1,000-strong contingent has already left Pakistan after its 90-day operations in Pakistan, where the devastating earthquake killed nearly 74,000, injured as many and made more than three million homeless.

Pakistan is to launch a massive reconstruction in the quake-hit zone in March after the end of the current harsh Himalayan winters.

The United States, which pledged 510 million dollars for relief and rehabilitation to its key ally in the war on terror, has promised to aid the rebuilding of the infrastructure, housing, education and healthcare facilities.

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