Certain to miss withdrawal deadline

KFAR KILA, Jan 26 (AFP): The Lebanese health ministry said the Israeli army opened fire Sunday on residents of southern Lebanon trying to return to their villages, killing 11 people and wounding 83 others, according to an updated toll.

Israel was all but certain to miss Sunday's deadline, which is part of a ceasefire agreement that ended its war with the Iran-backed Hezbollah group two months ago.

The deal that took effect on November 27 said the Lebanese army was to deploy alongside United Nations peacekeepers in the south as the Israeli army withdrew over a 60-day period.

That period ends on Sunday.

Lebanon's health ministry said Israeli forces had opened fire in at least two border towns on "citizens who were trying to return to their villages", killing two and wounding 32.

The ministry had previously said the "aggression" had centred on the two villages of Houla and Kfar Kila.

Earlier, Lebanon's official National News Agency had reported that Israeli fire wounded several people in Kfar Kila "who crossed the barrier and checkpoint put in place by the occupation army", referring to Israel.

Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee issued a message earlier on Sunday to residents of more than 60 villages in southern Lebanon, including Kfar Kila and Houla, telling them not to return.

AFP journalists said convoys of vehicles carrying hundreds of people were trying to return to several villages despite the military's continued presence.