Aoun meets Jeffers' successor, urges pressure on Israel to withdraw

President Joseph Aoun, who met with a U.S. military delegation Wednesday, urged it to pressure Israel to withdraw from areas it still controls in the country and to release Lebanese prisoners.

The delegation was headed by U.S. Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers, the Co-Chairman of the Cessation of Hostilities Implementation Mechanism.

Aoun told the American delegation that the Lebanese Army is carrying out its work along the border with Israel, where troops have been confiscating weapons and preventing armed presence.

A statement released by Aoun’s office said that Jeffers, who had held the post since before the Israel-Hezbollah war ended in late November, will be replaced by Maj. Gen. Michael J. Leeney. It added that Leeney also attended Wednesday’s meeting.