Special report: Israel-Lebanon conflicts

    JERUSALEM, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Lebanese army will deploy in south Lebanon Wednesday with a symbolic force, a political source in Beirut was quoted by Israeli local newspaper Ha'aretz.

Two Lebanese soldiers walk past a poster showing Israel's attack toward the southern Lebanese town of Qana at the Central Square of Beirut, August 16, 2006. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

    This will be the first time in more than two decades that the Lebanese army has positioned itself along the border with Israel.

    Meanwhile, a UN peacekeeping official said that the Lebanese army will begin to deploy Thursday in areas south of the Litani River where the Israeli army has withdrawn.

    The deployment was decided in a meeting attended by representatives from Israel and Lebanon as well as the UNIFIL peacekeeping force, which also mulled the concrete program of troop movement, the official added.

    Describing the meeting as a constructive one, the official said that "we were working hard to get the (UN Security Council) resolution implemented."

    It was the second such three-way session since at the border crossing point Ras Naquora since the UN resolution was adopted.

    The UN resolution, unanimously adopted by the Security Council on Friday, calls for Israel's withdrawal and authorizes an increase of the existing UN force in Lebanon to 15,000 troops to help Lebanese troops take control of south Lebanon as Israel withdraws.

    Lebanon and Israel approved UN-brokered ceasefire after over 1,000 Lebanese and about 150 Israelis have been killed during the 33 days of fighting, which was erupted on July 12 following the abduction of two Israeli soldiers by Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas. Enditem

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