Syria announces gradual Lebanon withdrawal

Updated: 23:12, Saturday, 5 March 2005

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has announced that Syrian troops will start a gradual withdrawal from Lebanon.

1 of 1Bashar al-Assad - Troop movements announced
Bashar al-Assad - Troop movements announced

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has announced that Syrian troops will start a gradual withdrawal from Lebanon.

'We will pull all our forces in Lebanon to the Bekaa area and from then to the Syrian-Lebanese border,' Mr Assad said in a speech to the Damascus parliament.

The move comes against the backdrop of a warning by US President George W Bush that any 'half-hearted' measures would not be tolerated.

Syria has been under intense pressure to pull out since last month's assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister, Rafiq Hariri.

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