Hezbollah return remains of Israeli troops

JERUSALEM, June 1 (UPI) -- Hezbollah handed over the remains of Israeli soldiers to Red Cross officials following the Israeli release of a Lebanese man accused of spying, officials said.

"We today are handing over some of the remains of a number of Israeli soldiers who were killed in the July (2006) war and who the Israeli army left in Lebanon," Hezbollah security official Wafik Safa said.

The Israeli military called the move unsolicited, saying there was no agreement with Hezbollah to take part in a prisoner exchange, the Israeli intelligence reporting agency DEBKAfile reported.

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said in January the Lebanese group held the remains of several Israeli soldiers left in the battlefield during the 2006 conflict.

Israeli officials deported Nasim Nisr prior to the Hezbollah release.

Israel accused Nisr of spying for Hezbollah and returned him to Lebanon following a six-year prison term, Haaretz said.