Some 170 more French troops arrived at the south Lebanese coastal town of Naqura on Friday morning to reinforce the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

The soldiers, including specialists in demining and reconstruction, arrived shortly before 8:30 am (0530 GMT) on board an assault craft, said media reports.

They also carried equipment such as transporting trucks, bulldozers, generators and water purification facilities, added the reports.

The troops' arrival came after French President Jacques Chirac announced late Thursday that France would send additional 1,600 soldiers to reinforce the UNIFIL and was willing to lead it.

After a first contingent of 49 engineers arrived in Lebanon on Saturday, France already had 400 troops deployed in UNIFIL, which, created in 1978 with a force of 1,900 soldiers, has been based in southern Lebanon largely as observers.

UN Resolution 1701 unanimously passed on Aug. 11 gave the authorization to UNIFIL to expand from its 2,000 troops to up to 15,000 soldiers.

Chirac's Thursday decision was hailed by Israel, U.S. President George W. Bush and Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, who has already pledged to contribute troops to the UNIFIL.

Chirac announced last week to send only 200 extra troops to double its contingent in UNIFIL to 400 soldiers while waiting for the United Nations' specification in the force's role for fear of a repeat of a UN peacekeeping fiasco, such as during the Bosnia war.

Chirac also demanded that Hezbollah be disarmed.

Source: Xinhua