Syria has promised to withdraw one-third of its troops from Lebanon by the end of the month as the first stage of an operation that would end its 29-year military presence in the country.

The Washington Post reported on Sunday that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad also promised to move the remaining forces to the eastern Bekaa Valley and shut down its intelligence headquarters in Beirut by the end of the month.

It reported that a joint Lebanese-Syrian military commission will meet on April 7 to determine the date of the final withdrawal of all forces.