Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon 'to be done by Sunday'
The withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon following a 29-year military presence will be completed by Sunday, a senior military officer said.
“Tomorrow everything will be over,” said the officer, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Tonight, the largest number of Syrian troops to leave Lebanon in one batch vacated at least 10 positions in the northern part of the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon.
Under pouring rain, dozens of trucks carrying hundreds of soldiers and armoured vehicles towing cannons and rocket launchers were seen heading to the Lebanese-Syrian Masnaa border point, witnesses said.
Syria began withdrawing its troops from Lebanon last month in the wake of the February 14 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
The assassination, for which the Lebanese opposition blamed Lebanese authorities and its Syrian backers, threw Lebanon into political turmoil, driving out the pro-Syrian government and forcing Syria to begin withdrawing its troops from Lebanon.
Last week, Lebanese and Syrian officials said the remaining 1,000 troops would be gone by April 26.
The force stood at 14,000 troops in February, indicating the swiftness of the pullout.
