Israeli forces begin withdrawal
14/08/2006 08:51  - (SA)  

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Jerusalem - Some Israeli forces began withdrawing from southern Lebanon on Monday after a UN-brokered ceasefire to end more than a month of warfare went into effect.

"A limited number of troops Monday began to withdraw from Lebanon," an army spokesperson told AFP about an hour after the 05:00 GMT deadline for a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.

"As of 08:00 the army is stopping its offensive operation in Lebanon," a spokesperson said.

Blockade maintained

But Israel said it would maintain its blockade around Lebanon imposed after the start of the conflict on July 12 following the capture of two soldiers by Hezbollah fighters.

"The maritime and aerial blockade will be kept in place until a mechanism is put in place to control smuggling of arms" to Hezbollah, a military source said.

Israel says that Hezbollah receives arms from the group's major backers Syria and Iran, a charge denied by the two countries.

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