South Lebanon Army pulls out of Saidoun
Lebanon, Military, 8/14/1997

The South Lebanon Army on August 13 withdrew its forces from a position in the village of Saidoun, near Jezzine, in a move that is likely to return several villages to the Lebanese government's control.

Up to 30 members of the militia unexpectedly withdrew from the post, taking with them around a dozen military vehicles, tanks and troop transports.

They reportedly redeployed to SLA positions at Dahr al Ramleh, Homsich and Roum.

Saidoun lies 5 km southwest of Jezzine and the SLA post dominated the villages of Saidoun, Rima, Snay, Dier Shkadif, Saidi and Qutine. All the villages lie in a buffer area between the occupation zone and government-controlled Lebanon. The pullout could allow the villagers, most of whom no longer live in the tense district, to return to their homes.

An SLA spokesman in Marjayoun refused to give a reason for the withdrawal, saying the SLA "does not give information on its military movements."

Hizbullah, however, said the redeployment had been prompted by successful resistance attacks against the SLA in the district.

Amal also issued a statement, saying "Lebanon has achieved a new victory in requiring the enemy and its paid agents to retreat and give up seven occupied villages." A senior security source noted less rhetorically that the redeployment stemmed from the lack of SLA manpower in the area.

He said Shia conscripts from the western sector of the occupation zone had been dispatched to Jezzine to bolster the SLA's flagging numbers.

Nasrallah later agreed with Nabih Berri, head of Amal and speaker, that only the army would be allowed to take over the Saidoun position. It is too early to tell whether the withdrawal implies a significant shift in SLA and ultimately Israeli policy in the volatile Jezzine pocket. But the withdrawal follows similar redeployments from Kfar Falous four months ago and Bisri a month later.

The mine-clearing operation by army units between Ain el Meer and Kfar Falous to prepare for the opening of the road has been suspended with the escalation in fighting in the past week.

The SLA apparently has not even begun clearing its section of road between Kfar Falous and Sfarai, despite promises from its commander Antoine Lahd that he would permit the reopening.

Elsewhere, the conflict in the south continues with a Hizbullah attack on the SLA's Dabshe position, overlooking Nabatieh, prompted its occupants to fire 82 mm mortar rounds. Several rounds fell on the abandoned barracks on the outskirts of Nabatieh and around Qsar Ghandour villa.

Shells also fell on the banks of the Zahrani river in Iqlim Al Toufah and the valleys between the villages of Habbouche and Arat Salim, security sources said. No casualties were reported.

Previous Stories:
  Attacks on Lebanon escalate   (8/13/1997)
  South Lebanese Army bombards villages in south Lebanon   (8/1/1997)

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