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Israel-Lebanon
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Lebanese troops deploy in the southern
village of Marwaheen, Lebanon, Monday, Oct. 2, 2006, a day after the
Israeli army withdrew from the entire south except for the village of
Ghajar.Lebanese troops began on early Monday their deployment in nearly
all villages after the Israeli army pullout from southern Lebanon, local
press reported. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)
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BEIRUT, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese troops began on
early Monday their deployment in nearly all villages after the Israeli army
pullout from southern Lebanon, local press reported.
Army troops in tanks and armored personnel carriers
were seen rolling in along the border Blue Line villages of Marwaheen, Kfar
Kila, Maroun al-Rass, Bleeda and Adaysseh around 8 a.m. local time, Naharnet
news website said.
Lebanese Army commander Gen. Michel Suleiman attended
a ceremony to celebrate the Israeli pullout at the hilltop border position of
Labbouneh, where Lebanese troops hoisted the flag.
"After Israel launched its war on Lebanon, there have
been major developments, mainly the Israeli conviction that it can't reach its
objectives by force," Suleiman told soldiers attending the ceremony. He also
highlighted the army's role in protecting Lebanon.
The army deployment comes one day after Israel's
near-complete withdrawal of several hundred soldiers who had remained in south
Lebanon after the Aug. 14 UN-brokered ceasefire that put an end toa 34-day war
against Hezbollah.
The Israeli withdrawal ended a nearly three-month
troop incursion into Lebanon in pursuit of Hezbollah fighters who had fired
rockets on Israel. It has cleared the way for the full deployment of an
international peacekeeping force that will policethe border with the Lebanese
army.
But the Israeli army said a handful of troops will
remain on the Lebanese side of the village of Ghajar, which is dissected by the
Israeli-Lebanese border, until security arrangements in the divided town are
agreed with UN and Lebanese forces.
Commander of UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Maj. Gen. Alain Pellegrini confirmed Sunday that the Israeli army had withdrawn its troops from the south except Ghajar. Pellegrini hailed the withdrawal and expected it to be completed this week. Enditem
