Crisis-hit Lebanon pull out of Asian Cup

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 1 (Reuters) Crisis-hit Lebanon has withdrawn from qualifying for the 2007 Asian Cup because of the current unrest in the country, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said today.

The Lebanon Football Association (LFA) sent a formal letter to the AFC on Monday, citing the ''tragic circumstances'' inflicted by Israeli air strikes for its decision to pull out.

Several Lebanese players were also missing amid the destruction, a senior LFA official added.

AFC officials are set to convene an emergency meeting to discuss the impact of the situation.

Lebanon were due to play Bahrain in Manama on Aug. 16 with their next home game scheduled for Sept. 6 in Beirut, also against Bahrain. Australia and Kuwait are the other teams in Group D.

However, the LFA said in its letter that the effect of the Israeli attacks on Lebanon had left its plans in disarray, with officials unable to contact several national team players.

''We deeply regret that we are unable to proceed in our participation in the Asian Cup 2007...due to tragic circumstances in our country,'' LFA general secretary Rahif Alameh wrote.

''Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to leave their houses, among which are several of Lebanese national team players.

''They have been separated from their families and we have lost all means of contact with them.'' Alameh also noted that the closure of Beirut's airport and bomb-damaged main roads had made travelling to away matches virtually impossible for the Lebanese squad.

Israel launched its onslaught on Lebanon after Hizbollah captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid on July 12.

At least 598 people have been killed in Lebanon, although the health minister puts the death toll at 750. Fifty-one Israelis have been killed.

REUTERS PM PM1117