Posted on 04/27/2005 1:35:04 AM PDT by JohnHuang2
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
MASNAA, Lebanon -- Syria ended its nearly 30-year occupation of Lebanon yesterday, pulling its last 250 soldiers across the border after an upbeat ceremony that glossed over the tensions between the two neighbors. The rear guard of a Syrian contingent that had numbered 14,000 soldiers just two months ago chanted and waved V-for-victory signs as it rode buses and jeeps across the border in the eastern Bekaa Valley. "We sacrifice our blood and souls for you, Bashar," went the chant in support of Syrian President Bashar Assad, whose likeness was posted all over the vehicles.
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
Some syrian units, just inside the lebanese border in the Bekaa valley, were replaced by palestinians from the PFLP, wearing syrian uniforms with syrian tanks, as well as reinforcing the already existing palestinian base of Naameh on the coast 15 KM south of Beirut.
An undetermined number of syrian security agents are still operating on the Lebanese territory helped by Baath party sympathizers.
Finally the UN commission coming to verify the syrian withdrawal has something to do after all. The file is far from being closed.
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