Soldiers loyal to President Assad show their support in the town of Qusair

Lebanon’s Shia militants have begun withdrawing some of their troops fighting for President Assad in Syria amid mounting pressure from the Government in Beirut and concerns that their actions were alienating the Arab world.

Diplomatic and intelligence sources in Beirut said that there had been a reduction in the number of Hezbollah fighters in Syria recently.

However, sources close to Hezbollah denied that it had acted because of political pressure, claiming it was due to tactical considerations on the ground.

The intervention of about 10,000 Hezbollah fighters in the summer turned the tide of the war when the Assad regime seemed on the brink. Their withdrawal would be a boost to rebels seeking to oust the President.

Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s leader, confirmed in May