The following is a joint statement from the United States and French Embassies in Lebanon and UNIFIL on the cessation of hostilities implementation mechanism:
“The Cessation of Hostilities Implementation Mechanism convened at a UNIFIL position in Ras Naqoura today for the third Pentalateral Meeting. Amos Hochstein, the Deputy Assistant to the President of the United States, and U.S. Major General Jasper Jeffers co-chaired the meeting, joined by representatives of France, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), and UNIFIL, as well as the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon. The group discussed military technical plans for the phased withdrawal of the IDF from the entire South Litani Area and deployment of LAF, beginning in the west and progressing east. The LAF have been preparing to conduct this operation for the past month by removing over 10,000 pieces of unexploded ordnance, with UNIFIL support, that would otherwise prevent safe troop deployment. The overall operation began today at 12:00 hours, when IDF units in Naqoura initiated movement south of the Blue Line. The LAF is the only institution for the defense and security of Lebanon and the Mechanism is working closely with LAF leaders to support their actions.”
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