More than 1,000 of the estimated 20,000 Syrian troops in Lebanon began dismantling bases near Beirut Tuesday in preparation for redeploying closer to the Syrian border or leaving Lebanon, a senior Lebanese military official said. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press that Syrian soldiers began evacuating hilltop positions in the coastal towns of Aramoun, Chuweifat, Damour, Doha and Khaldeh, south of Beirut, in the first stage of a major Syrian redeployment. The move, though, fell short of withdrawal, the official said. The U.N. Security Council has demanded withdrawal of all foreign forces from Lebanon. The official expected the Syrian redeployment to be completed in a few days. The second phase will see Syrian troops withdrawing from eastern and northern areas as a prelude to redeploying in eastern Lebanon's Bekaa region or to the border, the official said.
