Lebanese Army: Three phases to disarm Hezbollah, starting from the Litani.

Arabian Sea Newspaper - Special

**Arab Sea - Reports:** **Lebanese military sources revealed that the disarmament of Hezbollah will proceed in 3 phases, the first and most important of which begins south of the Litani River, noting that this phase is the only one whose features have been completed and the Lebanese army is preparing for.** **The sources explained, in statements to "Arab Sea," that the Lebanese army will not carry out disarmament operations in more than one area at a time, pointing out that work will be done to complete disarmament tasks in separate phases and areas, so that there is no distraction of the army's efforts or pressure on its capabilities.** **The sources confirmed that the priority that the army will take into account when implementing this phase is to secure the Syrian border with Lebanon to the greatest extent possible, to prevent the smuggling of weapons or elements that affect internal security or pose any threats to the Lebanese interior at this time.** **The sources mentioned that some of the army's patrol and combing operations in areas south of the Litani are part of the process of exercising the powers granted to it to disarm, even if there is no official announcement of this.** **They pointed out that "it is clear that the army has gone to procedures related to disarmament in this area, but according to a timetable that suits its plan on the ground logistically."** **They confirmed that the army prepared for disarmament operations in southern Litani by dismantling the largest part of Hezbollah's "visible" military structure in the south in recent periods, and that the difficult stage is reaching undeclared sites surrounded by several challenges.** **The sources indicated that "the disarmament plan, which is scheduled to take a period of more than a year and a half throughout Lebanon, is divided into 3 main phases or 5 sub-phases, the first sub-phase being south of the Litani."** **The sources spoke of the existence of points that have not been resolved between the army and the government regarding the adoption of a timetable and the determination of the rest of the phases after southern Litani, in light of the Council of Ministers' request for the army to complete the disarmament of southern Litani within 3 months, while initial estimates find that the southern Litani phase will not be less than 6 months.** **The sources continued that "the government wants the army to complete the disarmament operation in southern Litani, which is considered so far the most important stage in limiting weapons to the state, but the data on the army's capabilities without providing the needs that are supposed to be supplied by friendly countries, increases the time limit."**