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Syria Completes First Phase of Lebanon Pullout

17 March 2005

Lebanese security officials say Syria has completed the first phase of its troop withdrawal from Lebanon.

The announcement comes amid U.S., European and Lebanese opposition demands for an end to Syria's three-decade military presence in Lebanon.

A senior Lebanese security official told Reuters news agency all Syrian troops and intelligence officers in Lebanon had pulled back either to the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon or had crossed back into Syria.

Syria began the re-deployment of its 14-thousand troops in Lebanon on March 8th, after coming under international pressure to withdraw following the February 14th assassination of former prime minister Rafik Hariri in Beirut.

Meanwhile, a top Lebanese security chief says he and other security officials are willing to stand trial to clear them of any allegations of involvement in the assassination.

Some information for this report provided by AP, Reuters.

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