Beirut, April 12, SPA -- Syrian troops in Lebanon are downto 4,000, and these are likely to leave within 10 days _ aweek ahead of the April 30 deadline for full withdrawal,Lebanese officials said Tuesday. "The accelerated Syrian troop withdrawals from Lebanonhave reduced the number of Syrian soldiers to nearly4,000," an officer told The Associated Press. Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Murad said: "I can say thatthey (Syrians) are accelerating the pace of their pulloutand they will finish it much earlier than April 30." Asked to give a date for final withdrawal, Murad told TheAssociated Press: "In my view, they (soldiers andintelligence officials) will be gone home in a week or 10days."--SPA1438 Local Time 1138 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/254093