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Turkey completed Monday the withdrawal of its forces from the UN Interim Force in Lebanon ( UNIFIL) mission operating in southern Lebanon, Turkish General Staff announced.
The mission of Turkish military units made up of engineering and construction experts expired on Thursday and Ankara made a decision not to renew their mandate after it held relevant talks with the UN.
The Turkish technical contingent arrived at Iskenderun Port in southern Turkey on Monday with families and relatives greeting the returning soldiers.
"Our military post was an example to others [military posts]... Everyone loved our services in Lebanon," Gurdal Yildiz, a special sergeant who served in Lebanon, told reporters. Another sergeant, Nejdet Cebel, said "I am very happy to be back to our country safe and sound."
However, Turkey will continue to contribute to UNIFIL's maritime task force with an assault boat and three crews, said the Turkish military.
Turkey first sent its troops to Lebanon as part of the UN peacekeeping mission in 2006 to help monitor a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
Turkey announced its decision to pull out its peacekeeping troops from Lebanon on the same day that two Turkish pilots were kidnapped in Beirut. But Turkish officials said the withdrawal decision was made earlier and it was not linked to the kidnapping.
On Aug. 9, two Turkish Airlines pilots were kidnapped near Beirut's International Airport by a militant group called itself Zouwar al-Imam al-Reda, which has demanded that Turkey exert pressure on the Syrian opposition to release nine Lebanese Shiites hostages abducted on their way back from pilgrimage in Iran by the Syrian rebels.
Turkish analysts have questioned the "hasty" decision to remove troops from Lebanon, arguing it might be interpreted as a weakness.
"Even if Turkey denies allegations that the reduction of its contribution to the UNIFIL was due to security concerns following the abduction of the Turkish pilots, Ankara's decision is mostly interpreted by the world as a sign of weakness," said defense expert Lale Kemal.
The kidnapping of Turkish people in Lebanon was not the first one as two Turkish nationals were seized in Beirut last year but were freed after weeks of captivity.
Some people claim that Iran, the main regional ally of the Syrian administration, and Lebanon's Shiite group Hezbollah, may be behind these kidnappings.
Oytun Orhan, an expert at Ankara-based Center for Middle Eastern Strategic Studies, said the big picture shows an Iranian hand in the abduction of the Turkish pilots. "Iran is trying to punish Turkey for its supporting policy in Syria," he said.
