Israelis to leave Lebanon by end of Sept: UNIFIL

Beirut, Sep 26: Israeli troops should be out of Lebanon within days, the commander of the UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon said after meeting senior Israeli and Lebanese army officers today.

''It is my belief that with the necessary cooperation by both parties we should see the (Israeli army) leave south Lebanon by the end of this month,'' Major General Alain Pellegrini, commander of the UNIFIL force, said in a statement.

Pellegrini discussed the continued withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon and the deployment of the Lebanese army in the area in line with U N resolution 1701 that ended 34 days of fighting in which Israel occupied several border areas.

Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz said today the Jewish state hoped to complete the withdrawal during the coming week but that Israel had yet to agree with UNIFIL on rules of engagement to pave the way for a full withdrawal.

Israeli forces have gradually been pulling out of territory they captured during the war that ended with a truce on August 14.

Israel has so far handed over around 90 per cent of that territory to UNIFIL, which is beefing up its numbers to monitor the truce.

The U N resolution authorises up to 15,000 UNIFIL troops to join a similar number of Lebanese army troops who are being deployed in the south as part of the ceasefire.

Reuters

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