Hezbollah guerrillas have freed two pro-Israeli militiamen, a day after Israel's militia allies in southern Lebanon, the South Lebanon Army (SLA), freed 27 Lebanese guerrilla suspects.

The two SLA members, Assad Tormoss and Najm Habib, opted not to return to the Israeli-occupied zone of southern Lebanon, where they were captured several months ago, preferring to stay in the government-controlled part of the country.

They were greeted by relatives at a Hezbollah security office in south Beirut.

"I hope every mother will be as happy as I am today," said Mr Habib's mother, Wardeh, who wept as she kissed her 20-year-old son.

Hezbollah's politburo chief, Mohammed Raad, told reporters the two men would "return to their families and nation to continue normal lives".

He said the release would facilitate negotiations for more exchanges of prisoners.

Detainees

He said Hezbollah still held SLA members, but did not give a figure. The Iranian-backed group is known to hold at least two more militiamen.

The SLA holds at least 120 people, suspected of being guerrillas or sympathisers, in its Khiam detention camp in the Israeli-occupied zone.

Another 14 suspects are held in Israeli jails.

On Thursday, the SLA released 25 people from Khiam. Israel also freed two Lebanese men who had been held in one of its prisons for more than 13 years.

But only eight of the 27 former detainees returned to government-controlled territory. The others decided to stay with their families in the occupied zone.