Turkey to be first Muslim nation to send troops to Beirut
Ankara (Turkey), Oct. 5: Turkey, the only Muslim member of Nato and a country with close ties to both Israel and Arab states, will become the first Muslim nation to deploy peacekeepers in Lebanon next week, a Turkish television station reported on Thursday.
Turkey’s foreign ministry would not immediately confirm the report, saying evaluations were still under way for the deployment. Turkish military officials were not immediately available.
Private NTV television reported that a Turkish engineer company of around 260 soldiers was scheduled to fly to Lebanon from Ankara on Tuesday.
The Turkish troops would be the first Muslim forces to deploy in Lebanon as part of the expanded UN operation. The reported deployment of engineers seems to be a calculated move to avoid possible confrontation.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has assured the sceptical public that Turkish soldiers will be withdrawn immediately if asked to disarm Hezbollah fighters.
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Wasn't that one of the goals of a UN force, to disarm Hiz b'allah?!?
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