Beirut, 2 Oct. (AKI) - Lebanese regular army units on Monday began deploying in border villages along their country's border with Israel a day after Israeli troops vacated the area in fulfilment of a key condition in the UN-brokered ceasefire that ended a month long war.Hundreds of Lebanese soldiers in armoured troop carriers, trucks and jeeps deployed in the villages of Marwaheen, Ramia, Kfar Kila and Maroun al-Ras. In Marwaheen, villagers lined up the streets and threw rice and flowers at an army convoy. Women ululated and men waved at the soldiers.
But the Lebanese government and militant Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah have questioned Israel's announcement that it has withdrawn all its troops from Lebanon and demanded that Israel stop what they called violations of Lebanon's airspace, sea and land.
Israel withdrew the last of its troops from most of southern Lebanon early Sunday, fulfilling a key condition of the UN cease-fire agreement that ended a month-long war with Hezbollah guerrillas. However, Israel troops continue to hold the Lebanese part of the divided border village of Ghajar, and its planes still patrol Lebanon's airspace.
The United Nation peacekeeping force which has been deployed in southern Lebanon, UNIFIL, said in a statement that it was "in close contact with the IDF to facilitate a speedy withdrawal from the area of Ghajar." The statement also said that peacekeepers are "in the process of confirming" that there are no Israeli troops present in the areas that Israel declared as vacated. It said Lebanese army troops began taking over the area on Monday morning.
It added that after a full Israeli withdrawal, UNIFIL in cooperation with Lebanese army would inspect the entire length of the border to ensure that there are no violations of the blue line border. |