Lebanese army to deploy along eastern border, says army chief

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s army will deploy along the country’s entire eastern border with Syria and remain stationed there after recently recapturing areas from Islamic State militants, army chief General Joseph Aoun said on Friday.

The remarks appeared to confirm comments by the Lebanese group Hizbullah that it was handing over points it had controlled along the border to the military. "The army will deploy from now onwards along the extent of the eastern borders, to defend them," Aoun said at a ceremony commemorating Lebanese soldiers killed by Islamic State.

An army offensive last month ended with the militants withdrawing from their last foothold along the border under a ceasefire deal. The Syrian army and Hizbullah fought the Jihadists separately on the Syrian side. Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said in July it would be ready to hand over territory it captured if the Lebanese army requested it. —