Around 100 Italian marines donning blue berets arrived on small motor boats and U.N. helicopters at the Lebanese port city of Tyre Saturday as part of a first wave of Italian troops expected over the weekend, video of the scene showed. At least 800 Italian peacekeeping troops are eventually set to arrive in Tyre with the goal of supporting the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon. The U.N. multinational forces -- which include Italy -- will be in the region not to fight, but under their mandate will be responsible for defending themselves and any nearby civilians who are in danger, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Monday. Meanwhile, Indonesia said Saturday it would send up to 1,000 troops to southern Lebanon by the month's end, after Israel dropped objections to its participation in the U.N. peacekeeping force, The Associated Press reports.
