3 more Palestinian camps in Lebanon hand over weapons to army

BEIRUT, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon on Thursday conducted the second phase of transferring weapons from Palestinian camps in the country to the Lebanese army, according to Lebanese media and Palestinian sources.

The second phase, including eight trucks loaded with machine-gun weapons, B7 rockets, and grenades from the camps of Rashidieh, el-Buss, and Burj Al-Shemali, was conducted at the army's Second Intervention Regiment barracks in the Shawakir area of Tyre city, southern Lebanon, Lebanon's official National News Agency reported.

Subhi Abu Arab, Palestinian national security chief in Lebanon, told a press conference held at the barracks that "the weapons handed over today by (the Palestinian) Fatah (movement) to the Lebanese army included, in addition to light weapons, landmines and Grad surface-to-surface rockets."

Meanwhile, Ramez Dimashkieh, head of the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee, told the press conference that more Palestinian camps in Beirut will hand over their weapons to the army on Friday.

The first phase of the handover, involving weapons from the Burj Barajneh camp in Beirut, was conducted on Aug. 21.

Lebanese authorities have reaffirmed that all weapons in the country must be placed under state control and have tasked the Lebanese army with developing a plan, to be completed by the end of this month, to collect and remove Hezbollah's weapons.

However, Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem on Monday rejected the Lebanese government's demand for Hezbollah's disarmament, calling it "an illegitimate decision made under American and Israeli dictates," and insisting the group's weapons remain essential to Lebanon's sovereignty and defense. Enditem