Lebanese army to deploy along entire border with Syria

Lebanon's army will deploy along the entire eastern border with Syria and remain stationed in the area after a recent defeat of Islamic State group militants.

Last month a Lebanese army campaign against IS ended with the militants withdrawing from their stronghold along the border under a ceasefire deal which saw fighters evacuated to eastern Syria.

Hizballah mounted a parallel offensive to dislodge IS from the Syrian side of the frontier.

"The army will deploy from now onwards along the extent of the eastern borders, to defend them," army chief General Joseph Aoun said at a ceremony commemorating Lebanese soldiers killed by Islamic State.

The soldiers were among 30 others kidnapped by IS and al-Qaeda's former Syrian affiliate when they overran the Lebanese border town of Arsal in August 2014.

Their bodies were recovered late last month during the offensive to wipe out hundreds of IS militants who were occupying parts of the Lebanese-Syria border region

Aoun's remarks seem to confirm comments made by Hizballah leader Hassan Nasrallah in July, who said the group would be willing to hand over territory it had captured if the Lebanese army requested it.

Security sources said Hizballah had already begun handing over areas that it controlled.