US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has given a cautious welcome to Syria's withdrawal of some troops from Lebanon while reiterating American demand for a full pullout of all Syrian forces.

Rice said on Friday that "it's not a bad thing that Syrian forces are moving, but it is also not in compliance with (UN Security Council Resolution )1559."

It was reported that the last Syrian troops in north Lebanon left for home on Friday. Other Syrian troops remained in other parts of Lebanon.

Syria, which plays dominant role in Lebanon for decades, has some 14,000 troops in the country.