Militants Poised to Leave Lebanon-Syria Border Zone under Truce

Under a local ceasefire between the Lebanese resistance movement and the Takfiri militants, about 9,000 fighters and their relatives would leave for rebel territory in Syria on Monday, a Hezbollah media unit had said.

The Nusra Front was al-Qaeda's Syria branch until it severed ties and rebranded last year. It now spearheads the Tahrir al-Sham alliance in the Syrian war.

The deal includes the departure of all Nusra militants from Lebanon's northeast border region around Arsal town, along with any civilians in nearby refugee camps who wish to leave.

Hezbollah took most of the barren, mountainous zone of Jroud Arsal last week, after launching an offensive with the Syrian army to drive the militants from their last foothold along the border.

The next phase is expected to target a nearby enclave in the hands of Islamic State.

The first stage of the ceasefire, brokered by Lebanon's internal security agency, took effect on Sunday as the two sides exchanged the bodies of fighters killed in clashes between them.

"Buses that will transport Nusra Front militants and their families have started arriving in Jroud Arsal," the Hezbollah military media unit said, Reuters reported.

The convoys came from Syrian territory and headed towards Lebanese army positions, it said.

Hezbollah has played a major role in fighting militants along the frontier during Syria's six-year war. It has sent thousands of fighters to help root out terrorism in the war-torn country.

A Lebanese security source said dozens of buses would carry militants and refugees to Syria's Idlib province, which is under the insurgents' control.

Nusra Front will release eight Hezbollah fighters under the deal, three captured in recent days and five held in Syria, the source said.

The Lebanese Red Cross has taken part in logistics.