Hezbollah is mulling to withdraw its fighters from the neighboring country Syria if the reasons behind its intervention in battles in Damascus were resolved, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Thursday.
According to the newspaper, the leadership of Hezbollah is discussing the withdrawal of its fighters from Syria with President Michel Suleiman.
Sources told the daily that the party voiced hope that the conditions in Lebanon would be adequate to kick off the withdrawal process.
Suleiman said in an interview with As Safir newspaper on Thursday that he is “against the party's engagement in battles in Syria.”
He stressed, however, that he is ready “to discuss with it the matter in an attempt to convince it to withdraw its fighters.”
Hezbollah has dispatched fighters to battle alongside the Syrian regime against rebels seeking the overthrow of President Bashar Assad.
The conflict, pitting a Sunni-dominated rebel movement against Assad, has raised sectarian tensions in Lebanon and Lebanese Sunni fighters have also been killed while fighting alongside Syrian rebels.
Suleiman expressed hope on Friday that Hezbollah would withdraw its fighters from Syria immediately as per the Baabda declaration that calls for disassociating Lebanon from regional conflicts, and to maintain Lebanon's best interest.
The Baabda Declaration was unanimously adopted during a national dialogue session in June 2012. It calls for Lebanon to disassociate itself from regional crises, most notably the one in Syria.
Lebanese parties are sharply divided over the crisis in Syria as the March 8 alliance continuously expresses its support to Assad, while the March 14 camp voices its support for the popular revolt.
