Lebanon continues to deploy its troops on Friday in the south of the
country in the fifth day of a ceasefire, taking control of some major towns in
the region, witnesses said.
Lebanese troops arrived at the southern border town of Khiam early Friday,
where four UN military observers were killed in an Israeli air strike late July
during the Israel-Hezbollah conflict.
According to witnesses, the Lebanese army reached the country's border with
Israel at Kfar Kila for the first time on Friday.
On Thursday, eight regiments of Lebanese troops were sent to deploy in the
areas south of Lebanon's strategic Litani River, about 30 km from the border
with Israel.
Meanwhile, Lebanese soldiers have already arrived in the Marjeoun barricade,
about 8 km away from the border, and the Jwuaya Tibnein area in the south.
Lebanese troops started to deploy in south Lebanon from early Thursday under
a UN resolution which ended the Israel-Hezbollah conflict.
The resolution, unanimously adopted by the Security Council last Friday, also
authorizes an increase of the existing UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon to
15,000 troops to help Lebanese troops take control of southern Lebanon as Israel
withdraws in parallel.
Under the deal, Israel is expected to transfer control of its positions in
southern Lebanon to the UN force, which will then turn them over to the Lebanese
army.
