Beirut: The Lebanese Army on Saturday continued its operation to collect arms from Palestinian refugee camps, receiving five truckloads of weapons from Ain El-Helwe in the south and three from Al-Beddawi camp in the north. The operation aims to consolidate the control of arms within Lebanon under state authority.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the Lebanese Army stated that the collected armaments included various shells and ammunition. Specialized military units are set to examine the weapons and implement necessary security measures to ensure they are effectively managed.
The Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee, a collaborative body overseeing the arms handover, noted that this initiative aligns with agreements made during the Lebanese-Palestinian Summit on May 21. The process also follows discussions held with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Palestinian officials, emphasizing the importance of this cooperative effort.
This recent handover marks the fourth phase of the ongoing process to transfer weapons control to the Lebanese Army. It follows a cabinet decision from August 5, which mandates that all weapons within Lebanon are to be possessed solely by the Lebanese state. The army commenced this disarmament initiative on August 21, focusing on reducing the presence of unauthorized weapons in Palestinian camps.