The UN Security Council on Tuesday adopted a resolution to withdraw the full UN peacekeeping contingent from Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR) by the end of this year. The 15-nation Council voted unanimously to adopt the resolution at the request of Chad. On May 12, the Security Council decided to extend the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad for another two weeks, as it continues to examine possible options for a reduction of troops and a revised mandate for the force. The Mission, known as MINURCAT, was set up in 2007 to ensure the security of hundreds of thousands of refugees from Darfur, other displaced persons and humanitarian workers in both countries. In a report issued earlier this month, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon laid out his proposals for a revised mandate, as well as a major initial reduction of peacekeepers in Chad, whose government said it wanted to assume full responsibility for protecting civilians in its territory and that the Mission had served its purpose. In the report, Ban proposed that the Mission's military component in Chad be reduced from its current strength of 3,300 troops to 1,400 troops and 500 support elements. MINURCAT, with the support of the Chadian government, will then ensure the withdrawal of these 1,400 troops by July 15. The remaining 1,900 troops will be in Chad until Oct. 15, 2010, when they will cease all operations and commence their final withdrawal, subject to approval by the Security Council. There are at least half a million people still in need of humanitarian assistance in eastern Chad, including some 250,000 refugees from Darfur, 168,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 150,000 people in host villages, reports said. 