Israel begins to withdraw troops, Beirut mobilizes forces to take over

On December 11, Israel carried out the first withdrawal of troops from the town of Al-Khiam in southern Lebanon and returned control to the local army under a ceasefire agreement.

Tình hình Lebanon: Israel bắt đầu rút quân, Beirut dồn lực lượng đến tiếp quản

The United Nations peacekeeping force (UNIFIL) will join the Lebanese army in controlling the areas where Israel withdraws. (Source: AFP)

On December 11, the commander of the US Central Command (CENTCOM), General Erik Kurilla, was present at the headquarters to supervise the first withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Lebanese armed forces to replace them in Al-Khiam as part of the ceasefire agreement.

"This is an important first step in implementing a lasting ceasefire and laying the foundation for continued progress," Kurilla was quoted as saying by the Times of Israel . Earlier, the Israeli army announced that its 7th Brigade had completed its mission in Al-Khiam in southern Lebanon.

On the Lebanese side, on the same afternoon, military units along with the United Nations peacekeeping force (UNIFIL) deployed to five positions around Al-Khiam.

The deployment is the first phase of operations in the area, the Lebanese Army Command said, according to the Xinhua news agency.

A second phase will follow, with specialist units surveying the town to clear unexploded ordnance. The Lebanese army has urged residents to stay away from the area and follow army instructions until the clearance is complete.

The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, which took effect on November 27, has largely held, despite both sides accusing the other of repeated violations.

As part of the agreement, Lebanese troops and UNIFIL will deploy in the south while Israeli troops withdraw over a period of 60 days. Hezbollah is also obliged to withdraw its members north of the Litani River, about 30 kilometers from the border, and dismantle its military infrastructure in southern Lebanon.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tinh-hinh-lebanon-israel-bat-dau-rut-quan-beirut-don-luc-luong-den-tiep-quan-297070.html