LEBANON: SYRIAN TROOPS HAVE BEGUN PULLING OUT OF NORTH LEBANON

Record ID: 276763

  • Title: LEBANON: SYRIAN TROOPS HAVE BEGUN PULLING OUT OF NORTH LEBANON
  • Date: 20th February 2003
  • Summary: (W5) UNIDENTIFIED LOCATION, NORTH LEBANON (FEBRUARY 20, 203)(REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. SLV/LV/SV OF SYRIAN TROOP VEHICLES LEAVING NORTH LEBANON EN ROUTE FOR SYRIA (5 SHOTS) 0.56 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 7th March 2003 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: UNIDENTIFIED LOCATION, NORTH LEBANON
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Reuters ID: LVA6C2BPD4ZRYKLSPKPPB1XLHPRU
  • Story Text: Syrian troops have begun pulling out of north Lebanon
    in the first step in a planned redeployment of some 4,000
    soldiers from the country that Syrian forces first entered
    early in the 1975-1990 civil war.



    The surprise pullout of the troops from the largely
    Christian areas of north Lebanon on Thursday (February 20),
    cautiously welcomed by the United States, came amid increased
    regional tensions over a possible U.S.-led war on Iraq.

    Tuesday's (February 18) announcement that Damascus would
    redeploy some of its roughly 20,000 troops in Lebanon
    surprised analysts who said previous moves had been
    immediately preceded by a buildup of Lebanese domestic
    pressure or a rise in tension with Israel.

    Syria poured thousands of troops into Lebanon early in the
    civil war to save Christian militias from defeat by Muslim,
    leftist and Palestinian forces. Damascus later turned against
    them after they sided with Israel.

    A senior Lebanese army source said some 4,000 troops were
    expected to leave this week and more redeployments were
    expected in the near future.

    Washington has long called for Syrian troops to leave
    Lebanon, and an embassy spokeswoman welcomed the move.

    Syria withdrew some 6,000 troops from Beirut and
    surrounding areas in 2001 in what was seen as a concession to
    Christian-led resentment at its political and military
    domination of Lebanon.

    It also shifted some troops last April in an apparent bid
    to make them less of a target for Israeli retaliation for
    attacks by the Hizbollah guerrillas it backs.


    awa/kt

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