LEBANON: ISRAELI BACKED SLA WITHDRAW FROM JEZZINE UPDATE (2)

Описание: (1 Jun 1999) Arabic/Nat

The Israeli-backed South Lebanon Army has began its pullout from a Christian enclave in Lebanon in what some see as the beginning of the end of Israel's military presence in the southern part of the country.

It withdrew its forces from the areas of Roum and Jezzine, which it has occupied since 1985, claiming they had suffered too many casualties.

Hours after the S-L-A undertook its overnight withdrawal, guerrillas launched a series of bomb attacks on Tuesday which killed two S-L-A members and prompted retaliatory airstrikes by Israel.

In a statement issued in Beirut, the Hezbollah guerrillas claimed responsibility for the blasts.

In the early hours of Tuesday morning, tanks and military vehicles of the South Lebanon Army withdrew from the Christian enclave they had held since 1985.

The S-L-A pulled its tanks and men from Roum and headed seven kilometres (4 miles) east to Jezzine, where they were gathering their troops for a mass departure.

They are leaving because they say they have suffered too many casualties.

And as if to further emphasise their point, area guerrillas who forced the S-L-A to leave kept up their attacks as they were departing.

Using their trademark tactic of planting explosives, retreating to havens in the hills, then detonating the weapons, guerrillas were able to set off one bomb near S-L-A headquarters in Jezzine.

The bomb ripped apart a car driven by a member of the S-L-A-run civil administration, killing him.

Hezbollah guerrillas claimed responsibility for the Jezzine attack.

Two other bombs exploded earlier on Tuesday along the road to Kfar Houna, killing one militiaman and wounding another.

Kfar Houna is expected to be the new front line once the entire pullout from Jezzine is complete.

Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk Al Shareh, speaking to reporters Tuesday while visiting Beirut, welcomed the S-L-A pullout from Jezzine.

But he also warned that the troop withdrawal would not affect resistance movements to rid Israel from the Golan Heights and the remainder of South Lebanon.

SOUNDBITE: (Arabic)
"This step won't affect the resistance situation or the positive role it is playing in freeing Southern Lebanon nor it will affect our common goals as Lebanese and Syrians concerning the Israeli withdrawal from South Lebanon and the Golan. "
SUPERCAPTION: Farouk Al Shareh, Syrian Foreign Minister

The final pullout of the Israeli-occupied zone is expected to be completed by mid-June.

Many observers saw Tuesday's pullout as the first step in an overall exodus that will signal the end of Israel's 17-year military presence in the country.

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