Syrian Deployment Stretches 335 Km on Lebanon”s Eastern Front
The process of Syrian deployment on the eastern frontier of Lebanon is almost over as it comes to complete a previous Syrian deployment on the northern borders.
Lebanese security sources told the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on Saturday that "the operation covers the internal border region inside Syria facing the eastern Lebanese frontier that stretches from Hermel to Rashaya."
They said that this comes to complete a similar Syrian deployment off the northern province of Akkar.
The sources told al-Hayat that the deployment stretches 335 Kilometers or the entire Lebanese-Syrian border from the north to the Bekaa, or 90 km facing Akkar and 245 km facing the Bekaa.
Al-Hayat said that Damascus has via its ministry of foreign affairs informed international parties of its intent to widen the deployment of its forces from Akkar to the eastern frontier adding that this measure comes as part of its commitment to implement U.N. Security Council resolution 1701.
According to information obtained by al-Hayat, Russian ambassador to Beirut Sergei Boukin had conveyed the Syrian position to Lebanese officials he met recently. Boukin affirmed that this aims to control the borders to prevent smuggling and infiltration.
Military sources indicated on Friday that the Syrian deployment stretched from Ersal to the heights of the frontier town of Deir el-Ashayer through the wilderness east of Baalbek, adding the deployment is heavily backed by tanks and field artillery.
The operation commenced on Thursday evening with the deployment of the 4th division of the Syrian army along the border town of Al-Qaa all the way to Jabal Al-Sheikh mountain.
The Lebanese army command was officially informed of this move by a telephone call on Thursday made to army commander Gen. Jean Qahwaji by his Syrian counterpart Gen. Ali Habib, detailing the field deployment of the Syrian military forces on the eastern frontier following its deployment in the north, according to a military press communiqué.
"This deployment comes in the framework of measures taken to stop border smuggling and the illegal infiltration of the borders of the two brotherly states," the army statement said.
Coinciding with the Syrian deployment, United Nations Special Envoy for the Implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559 Terje Roed-Larsen told the Security Council on Thursday that the U.N. Secretary-General has continued his efforts in encouraging Syria and Lebanon to conduct a joint and full border demarcation. However, he noted no progress in this regard.
Syria responded to Larsen”s statement saying "there will be no border demarcation with Lebanon prior to the liberation of the Golan Heights, Shebaa Farms and the occupied part of the Ghajar village."
Syria”s envoy to the United Nations Bashar al-Jaafari sent a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon and to China, which currently presides over the U.N. Security Council, stating that "the real reason for the delay in border demarcation lies in the continued Israeli occupation of the Golan Heights, Shebaa Farms and the (occupied portion) of Ghajjar.
Regarding the deployment of Syrian forces on the common Syrian-Lebanese border Jaaffari confirmed that the"deployment is strictly on the Syrian side of the border and that it is limited to 800 troops in implementation of a signed bilateral agreement. He went on to explain that the purpose for this deployment is to monitor the borders and prevent any smuggling and to equally protect Syrian-Lebanese security."