BEIRUT, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese military and security sources denied Israeli report that two Syrian commando Battalions have crossed into north Lebanon and took positions in seven Alawite controlled villages, local An-Nahar daily reported Monday.

    "The reports are not true," the Lebanese source said, in response to the Israeli report on its DEBK Afile website, which quoted military sources as saying that the Syrian battalions were accompanied by reconnaissance and engineering units.

    Syrian troops pulled out of Lebanon in 2005, following the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, which many blamed on Damascus, after 29-year military presence in the country.

    The report also said during French President Nicola Sarkozi's visit to Damascus last month, Assad said the west should understand that Syria can not accept a "Jihadist base at its doorsteps."

    Sunni groups have a strong presence in north Lebanon, especially in the region of Tripoli and Akkar.

    They had been fighting pro-Syrian Alawite, an offshoot of the Shiite Muslim, in north Lebanon since June, which had left dozens dead before leaders of Sunni and Alawite sects signed a reconciliation agreement earlier this month in Tripoli.