Troops to Move Into S. Lebanon
President Elias Hrawi’s government on Wednesday ordered its army to deploy in south Lebanon beginning Feb. 1 to separate rival Shiite Muslim militias, despite Israeli objections.
The 15,000-member army has had no active presence in south Lebanon since the country’s civil war broke out in 1975.
The government also ordered the army to raid suspected arms hide-outs that Christian and Muslim militias might have left in Beirut and its environs.
The militias withdrew from the capital in November, when the Syrian-backed government began its drive to re-establish control over the country.
Government sources said up to 1,000 troops will be dispatched to the Apple region, which overlooks a self-designated “security zone” that Israel occupies in south Lebanon.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
