It was on April 26, 2005 that the last Syrian troops left Lebanon, thus putting an end to a presence of almost three decades in the Land of the Cedars, following strong international pressure and Lebanese opposition following the assassination on February 14, 2005 of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri.
On this occasion, a departure ceremony was organized in Rayak in the Bekaa, in the presence of General Ali Habib, Syrian Chief of Staff, of Syrian General Rustom Ghazalé, who had commanded the powerful Syrian intelligence services in Lebanon, and the Commander of the Lebanese Army at the time, General Michel Sleiman.
This withdrawal took place within the framework of the UN Security Council resolution 1559, adopted in September 2004 at the initiative of France and the United States while the mandate of President Emile Lahoud was going to be renewed for 3 new years. at the initiative of Damascus. It aimed in particular to put an end to Syrian interference in Lebanese internal affairs and to the disarmament of all the militias still present.
