Lebanon free of the last of Syria troops

The last of the Syria troops withdrew its soldiers and intelligence agents from Lebanon Tuesday, ending a 29-year military presence in its small neighbor as Damascus yields to fierce international and domestic pressure after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Soldiers flashing victory signs completed a withdrawal spurred by intense international pressure and massive Lebanese street protests against a force that once reached 40,000.

About 250 Syrian soldiers in red berets and camouflage, the last troops to leave Lebanon, shouted: “We sacrifice our blood and our souls for you, oh Bashar!” in a reference to Syrian President Bashar Assad.

An official farewell ceremony was held at the Rayak military base in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa valley attended by Lebanese army commander Gen. Michel Sleiman and Syrian chief of army staff Gen. Ali Habib.

The two commanders pledged to continue cooperation between their armies in fighting Israel.

The announcement came as the largest number of Syrian troops to leave Lebanon in one batch vacated at least 10 positions in the northern part of the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon on Saturday night.

Under pouring rain, dozens of trucks carrying hundreds of soldiers and at least 150 armoured vehicles towing cannons and rocket launchers were seen heading to the Lebanese-Syrian Masnaa border point, witnesses said.

Their withdrawal included the Anjar base in eastern Lebanon occupied by Syria’s chief of military intelligence in Lebanon, Maj-Gen Rustom Ghazale.

The withdrawal of Syrian intelligence officers along with the military has been a key demand of the Lebanese opposition.

Hariri’s son, meanwhile, said he will run in Lebanese general elections scheduled to take place by the end of May.

In an interview, Saad Hariri also said he had “full confidence�? in a UN investigation into the Feb 14 assassination of his father.

“I do intend to run,�? Hariri replied, answering a question about parliamentary elections set to be held by May 29. “I do intend to prove myself. I do intend to work hard. I do intend to achieve my father’s cause.�?

Syria began withdrawing its troops from Lebanon last month in the wake of Hariri’s killing.

The assassination, for which the Lebanese opposition blamed the Lebanese government and its Syrian backers, threw the nation into political turmoil, driving out the pro-Syrian government and forcing Syria to begin withdrawing its troops.

Syria and Lebanese authorities have denied involvement in the killing.