BEIRUT, Lebanon, Sept. 12 (UPI) -- Israeli forces began withdrawing from more positions they have seized in the last confrontation with Hezbollah in south Lebanon.
A statement by the U.N. peacekeeping force, known as UNIFIL, said the Israeli troops started evacuating five positions in the central sector of south Lebanon Tuesday in accordance with Security Council Resolution 1701 which ended the month-long Israel-Hezbollah war.
"The UNIFIL Indian Battalion set up a number of checkpoints and is carrying out intensive patrolling in the area to confirm the Israeli withdrawal," the statement said.
The Israeli pullout coincided with a meeting between UNIFIL commander Gen. Alain Pellegrini of France and Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora to brief him on the latest development in the international forces' area of operations, another UNIFIL statement said.
Pellegrini has expressed his hope that the Israeli withdrawal would be completed soon and that the Lebanese Armed Forces will then be able to deploy throughout the south.
"I also informed the prime minister on the deployment of additional UNIFIL troops, on the expected arrivals of French and Spanish contingents in the next few days thus ensuring that UNIFIL will reach 5,000 officers and soldiers very soon," Pellegrini was quoted as saying.
Israel said it will pull out completely behind the Blue Line once the number of UNIFIL forces reaches 5,000 in the first phase of the deployment. The number of UNIFIL troops is to be increased to 15,000 in line with 1701.
In another development, three Lebanese were injured Tuesday when four cluster bombs left out by Israeli forces exploded near the port city of Tyre in south Lebanon.
A security source said the victims were working in a field when they touched the bombs which inflicting on them serious injuries.
