LEBANON: Cargo ship carrying French tanks arrives in Beirut

A cargo ship arrived at Beirut's port on Tuesday (September 12) carrying 250 French armoured vehicles including 13 tanks which will be deployed to south Lebanon. "This boat contains 250 vehicles which belong to the French battalion which are the first elements of the French battalion that will be deployed in south Lebanon under the UNIFL," said Colonel Jerome Salle. "Their job is to enforce resolution 1701 and the French battalion will be at the disposal of General Pelligrini who as soon as the French battalion is ready, will decide on their role and mission and placement for the future," added Colonel Salle. More than 200 French military engineers landed at Beirut port on Saturday (September 9) as part of an advance group of a battalion which will reinforce UN peacekeepers in south Lebanon and open the way for Israel to pull out all its troops. Israel invaded south Lebanon after Hizbollah guerrillas captured two of its soldiers in a cross-border raid on July 12. It has been gradually withdrawing forces since an August 14 ceasefire ended 34 days of fighting. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has said Israel should complete its withdrawal from south Lebanon once 5,000 U.N. troops were on the ground. The UN force could reach 5,000 once the rest of the 700-strong French battalion arrive next week, and an expected Spanish contingent of around 900 troops reach Lebanon. But security sources in Lebanon say logistical problems, including painstaking demining operations in south Lebanon, could delay the actual deployment of the peacekeepers.

ITN Source | September 12, 2006

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