Exchange of bodies ahead of Syria-Lebanon border plan

A Hezbollah armored vehicle sits at the site where clashes erupted between Hezbollah and al-Qaida-linked fighters in Wadi al-Kheil or al-Kheil Valley in the Lebanon-Syria border, Saturday, July 29, 2017. A cease-fire went into effect between the militant Hezbollah group and al-Qaida-linked fighters on Thursday morning as negotiations were underway to reach a deal that would eventually lead to the evacuation of Syrian fighters to the northwestern rebel-held province of Idlib. The truce followed a six-day offensive by Hezbollah and Syrian troops who besieged al-Qaida-linked fighters in a small border area. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein) A Hezbollah armored vehicle sits at the site where clashes erupted between Hezbollah and al-Qaida-linked fighters in Wadi al-Kheil or al-Kheil Valley in the Lebanon-Syria border, Saturday, July 29, 2017. A cease-fire went into effect between the militant Hezbollah group and al-Qaida-linked fighters on Thursday morning as negotiations were underway to reach a deal that would eventually lead to the evacuation of Syrian fighters to the northwestern rebel-held province of Idlib. The truce followed a six-day offensive by Hezbollah and Syrian troops who besieged al-Qaida-linked fighters in a small border area. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)

By Associated Press July 30, 2017 3 min read

BEIRUT (AP) – Hezbollah and a Syrian affiliate to Al-Qaida began exchanging the bodies of dead fighters along the Lebanese-Syrian border on Sunday in the first stage of a settlement to restore order to a contested frontier zone.

The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah was handing over the bodies of nine al-Qaida fighters in exchange for the bodies of five of its own, following two weeks of battles along the rugged border, its Al-Manar TV station reported.

The exchange, like the battles that preceded it, underscores Hezbollah’s clout in regional affairs as it clears the border of al-Qaida and Islamic State group militants, with the Lebanese government largely a bystander.

U.S. President Donald Trump credited the Lebanese government with standing up to Hezbollah, last week, but the Lebanese Army assumed a defensive position behind Hezbollah lines in the course of the battles in the Arsal badlands. Hezbollah is also a member of Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s government.

The U.S. classifies Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.