UN team in Lebanon starts probe into Hariri killing

A United Nations fact-finding team began inquiries yesterday into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, a killing the opposition blamed on Syria.

Mr Hariri's death inflamed a row over the presence of Syrian troops in Lebanon and intensified international pressure on Damascus to end its dominating role in its smaller neighbour. But Syrian soldiers in the north of the country were still in place yesterday, a day after Damascus said it was planning to pull back troops towards its border in line with the Taif Accord that ended Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war.

Lebanon's Defence Minister Abdel Rahim Mrad said the Syrian and Lebanese military were in contact to agree on a timetable for the redeployment which he said was "hours or days away".