The Lebanese army on Thursday began deploying troops in one of the last positions that Israel still occupied in the south of the country after the July war with militant Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah, the United Nations peacekeeping mission reported. Lebanese troops moved in after the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNFIL) confirmed that Israel had withdrawn its forces from most of the surrounding area of Ghajar village as agreed upon earlier this week. Israeli soldiers still remain in the northern part of Ghajar inside Lebanese territory, and in the immediate vicinity of the village, the UN said. The village straddles the line separating the two sides, the only post Israel still holds following its withdrawal from all other positions on 1 October.
The latest Israeli withdrawal and Lebanese deployment followed a meeting on Tuesday between UNIFIL force Commander Major-General Alain Pellegrini with senior officers from both sides.