On the redeployment of the Syrian forces in Lebanon
Lebanon-Syria, Politics, 6/18/2001

News reports quoted eye-witnesses that the Syrian forces on Saturday evening evacuated several of its positions in Beirut and handed some of these positions to the Lebanese army and thereby continuing the redeployment operation it has started four days earlier.

The reports added that the evacuation operation, in particular, centered on areas of Muslim majority on the outskirts of the southern side of Beirut, noting that part of these forces that evacuated their positions returned to Syria through the al-Masnaa border point while the other part stayed in al-Bekaa plain.

The reports added that the Syrian forces evacuated on Saturday two houses used to be positioned in al-Ramla al-Beida. One was for the official of the Baath Arab socialist party, ruling in Iraq, former parliament member Abdul Majid al-Rafe' and the second is for Ibrahim Qleilat who was leading during the Lebanese war 1975-1990 the Sunnite ( one of the Muslim sect) Nasserite militia ( al-Murabitoun). Both men are outside Lebanon.

The evacuation operation also covered centers scattered in particular in Beer Hassan area, neighboring the sport city and others near the Marriott hotel at the southern entrance of Beirut.

Lebanese security sources said that the Syrian army evacuated most of its positions in Beirut with the exception of few number, including al-Nahda playground at the coastal Beirut Cornish.

Meantime, the correspondent of the Orient radio in Beirut said that Arab and foreign diplomatic observers showed great interest in following up and observing the field and political developments concerning redeployment of the Syrian army in Lebanon.

The correspondent noted that information that is not officially confirmed in Beirut expect that this redeployment operation will be followed by a meeting for the Syrian- Lebanese higher council shortly in Beirut to review the development of the relations between the two states in all fields regarding development the two states might face in the future at the bilateral and regional levels.

Previous Stories:
  On the redeployment of the Syrian army in Lebanon   (6/16/2001)
  Former Lebanese foreign minister to visit Syria   (6/16/2001)
  Syrian redeployment in Lebanon   (6/15/2001)

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