Written by Yakoub El Khazen    John Lewis Burckhardt’s visit to Keserwan in March,1812.     John Lewis Burckhardt (Johann Ludwig Burkhardt), …

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syria's military will complete its withdrawal from eastern Lebanon in the next 48 hours and its security chiefs will go a day later, a senior security source said on Saturday, completing their pullout earlier than planned. The source said Rustum Ghazaleh, the Syrian intelligence chief in Lebanon, would be the last to leave after a farewell ceremony in the Bekaa Valley on Tuesday. The special military road that links the two countries will be closed behind him and the Lebanese Army will take over the Syrian intelligence headquarters in the town of Anjar.

BEIRUT, Lebanon (CNN) -- Under pressure from the United Nations and opposition politicians, Lebanon's security chief said he was putting his fate in the hands of Prime Minister Najib Mikati.Friday's move was a step short of resignation and comes ahead of a U.N. authorized investigation into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.Jamil Sayyed, head of general security in Lebanon, said he was putting himself at the disposal of the prime minister, leaving it up to Mikati to decide his fate. The Associated Press reported that Ali Hajj, the country's top police commander, also has stepped aside and placed himself at Mikati's disposal. Hajj told AP he was taking the step "to facilitate the work of the international investigation commission until the end of its mission." He said it was up to the Cabinet to decide whether to reinstate him later.