BEIRUT, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- A unit from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on Wednesday entered the eastern edge of Khiam, a town located in the eastern sector of the southern Lebanese border area, according to a Lebanese military source.
The source, who spoke anonymously, told Xinhua that several UNIFIL armored vehicles, accompanied by a bulldozer and an engineering team, entered the eastern edge of Khiam from their position in the Ibl al-Saqi plain.
"The UNIFIL force is conducting a survey of the eastern neighborhood and removing obstacles from the main and secondary roads to prepare for the deployment of a Lebanese army unit in this town at a later time," added the source.
"After UNIFIL completes its mission in the eastern edge of the town, a unit from the Seventh Brigade will move from the Marjeyoun barracks towards the eastern edge of this town," he said.
Meanwhile, a Lebanese army unit, comprising several military vehicles, armored vehicles, and a bulldozer, is gathering at the entrance to the Marjeyoun barracks, awaiting orders to advance to Khiam in coordination with UNIFIL, according to the source.
The Lebanese army had mobilized about 6,000 soldiers and hundreds of armored military vehicles to several military barracks south of the Litani River, who have been deployed in the areas of Marjeyoun, Nabatieh, Bint Jbeil, Tyre, and Zahrani.
A ceasefire, brokered by the United States and France, went into effect on Nov. 27, aiming to halt nearly 14 months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.
Under the agreement, Israel will withdraw from Lebanese territory within 60 days, the Lebanese army will be deployed on the Lebanese-Israeli border, and Hezbollah will retreat to north of the Litani River. ■
