Lebanon says it is beginning disarmament of Palestinian factions in refugee camps
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun meets with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon May 21, 2025. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir/File Photo
BEIRUT - Lebanon said on Thursday it was launching the planned disarmament of Palestinian factions in refugee camps, part of a wider effort to establish a state monopoly on arms.
The planned disarmament was starting with the handover of weapons on Thursday from the Burj al-Barajneh camp in Beirut to the Lebanese army, the Lebanese prime minister's office said.
The move is meant to mark the start of a broader disarmament effort, with additional deliveries expected in the coming weeks from Burj al-Barajneh and other camps across the country, the office said in a statement.
An official from Fatah told Reuters that the only weapons being handed over so far were illegal arms that entered the camp 24 hours ago. TV footage showed army vehicles entering the camp ahead of a handover. Reuters could not independently verify what arms were being handed over.
As part of a truce with Israel struck in November and backed by the United States, Lebanon committed to restricting arms to six specific state security forces, in a challenge to Iran-backed Shi'ite Muslim group Hezbollah.
The cabinet has tasked the army with drawing up a plan to establish a state monopoly on arms by the end of the year.
The initiative to disarm Palestinian factions is part of an agreement reached during a May 21 summit between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, which affirmed Lebanon's sovereignty and the principle that only the state should bear arms, the statement from the prime minister's office said.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Singapore Courier tip-off leads to HSA seizure of Kpods, drugs in Tampines and Grange Road raids
Singapore Large flocks of parakeets a spectacle in Choa Chu Kang, but they may affect native species
Singapore Singapore students shine in Paris with record medal haul at history Olympiad
Singapore Teacher charged over allegedly making student undress in video call, sending her his nude photo
Business Changi Travel Services cuts 30 staff amid market shifts
Singapore Singapore Parliament releases seating plan for 15th term: Find out who is sitting where
Asia HK water scandal: How distrust over China bottled water sparked a probe into govt contract
Asia Indonesia's Gaza rescue bid: Help or hype?
Two days later, Lebanese and Palestinian officials agreed on a timeline and mechanism for disarmament, the statement said.
Palestinian factions have long operated with relative autonomy in several of Lebanon's 12 refugee camps, which fall largely outside the jurisdiction of the Lebanese state. The latest handover represents the most serious bid in years to address weapons held inside the camps. REUTERS
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
13 minutes ago
- Straits Times
More Americans applying for refugee status in Canada, data shows
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox A total of 245 Americans sought refugee status in Canada in the first half of 2025, compared to 204 for the whole of 2024. TORONTO - More Americans applied for refugee status in Canada in the first half of 2025 than in all of 2024, and more than in any full year since 2019, according to data published on Aug 21 by Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board. Their share of total refugee claims - 245 of about 55,000 - is small and Canada's acceptance of US refugee claims has historically been low. Asylum-seekers from other countries crossing the land border from the US are sent back under a bilateral agreement with the reasoning that they should apply for asylum in the first 'safe' country they arrived in. In 2024, 204 people filed refugee claims in Canada with the US as their country of alleged persecution. Claims from the US also rose during the first Trump administration. The data does not say why the claims were made. Eight lawyers told Reuters they are hearing from more transgender Americans wanting to leave. Reuters spoke with a transgender woman from Arizona who came to Canada in April to file a claim, and to a woman who came to file a claim on behalf of her young transgender daughter. US President Donald Trump and the US Supreme Court have rolled back transgender rights, restricting who can access gender-affirming care, who can serve in the military, who can use what bathroom and who can play in some sports. To gain asylum, refugees must convince Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board that nowhere in the US is safe for them. The Board recently added documents from groups such as Human Rights Watch examining the US' treatment of LGBTQ people to its national documentation package detailing country conditions. A US Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said people claiming refugee status in Canada would create room for individuals "facing actual fear and persecution." REUTERS
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
First security guarantees, then Putin summit, Ukraine's Zelensky says
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Law enforcement personnel watching smoke rising over a US-owned business in Ukraine's Zakarpattia region, after it was hit by Russian missiles on Aug 21. KYIV - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he could meet with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, but only after his allies agree security guarantees for Ukraine to deter future Russian attacks once the fighting stops. In comments released on Aug 21, he also warned that both sides were preparing for further fighting. Russia was building up troops on the southern front line and Ukraine was test-launching a new long-range cruise missile, he said. Russia said on Aug 21 that Ukraine did not appear to be interested in 'long-term' peace, accusing Kyiv of seeking security guarantees completely incompatible with Moscow's demands. US President Donald Trump is trying to end Russia's three-and-a-half year invasion of Ukraine through talks with Mr Zelensky and Mr Putin. While he has upended a years-long Western policy of isolating the Russian leader, he has made little tangible progress towards a peace deal. 'We want to have an understanding of the security guarantees architecture within seven to 10 days,' Mr Zelensky said, in comments to reporters released for publication on Aug 21. 'We need to understand which country will be ready to do what at each specific moment,' he added. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Courier tip-off leads to HSA seizure of Kpods, drugs in Tampines and Grange Road raids Singapore Large flocks of parakeets a spectacle in Choa Chu Kang, but they may affect native species Singapore Singapore students shine in Paris with record medal haul at history Olympiad Singapore Teacher charged over allegedly making student undress in video call, sending her his nude photo Singapore Painting by police NSF presented to Shanmugam to commemorate 50 years of Police National Service Business 8 more active ETFs by JPMorgan Asset Management available to Singapore investors Business Changi Travel Services cuts 30 staff amid market shifts Asia HK water scandal: How distrust over China bottled water sparked a probe into govt contract A group of allies led by Britain and France are putting together a military coalition to support the guarantees. Fresh Russian barrage Once an outline of the security guarantees is agreed, Mr Trump would like to see a bilateral meeting between Mr Putin and Mr Zelensky, the Ukrainian leader said. But any meeting with the Russian leader should he held in a 'neutral' European country, he added, ruling out any summit in Moscow. He also rejected the idea of China playing a role in guaranteeing Ukraine's security, citing Beijing's alleged support for Moscow. In a daily address on Aug 21, Mr Zelensky accused Russia of avoiding the 'necessity' of holding a meeting between the two countries' leaders. 'Current signals from Russia are, to be honest, indecent. They're trying to avoid the necessity to meet. They don't want to end this war,' Mr Zelensky said. His comments came as Russia launched hundreds of drones and missiles against Ukraine overnight – the biggest barrage since mid-July – killing one person in the western city of Lviv and wounding many others. Russian missiles also targeted an American-owned factory complex in town of Mukachevo in the west of Ukraine, wounding 19 people, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on social media. President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine Andy Hunder said that the factory was 'one of the largest American investments in Ukraine. 'Russia continues to destroy and humiliate US businesses in Ukraine, targeting companies that invest and trade on the US stock markets,' Mr Hunder said on Facebook. France on Aug 21 condemned the overnight strikes as showing Moscow's 'lack of will to seriously engage in peace talks', describing them as the 'most massive attack in a month'. A later shelling of the city of Kherson killed one person and wounded more than a dozen, a local official said. Meanwhile in the Russian-occupied part of Ukraine's Donetsk region, two people were killed and at least 21 wounded after a Ukrainian shelling, the Russian-installed regional chief, Mr Denis Pushilin, said on Telegram. Russia claims advances On the front lines, Russia said it had captured the village of Oleksandro-Shultyne in the eastern Donetsk region, the latest in a long string of territorial gains. The village lies less than 8km from Kostiantynivka, a fortified town in the Donetsk region that Russia has been pressing towards on both sides. In comments to journalists on Aug 21, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Ukraine of making unrealistic security demands. Any deployment of European troops to the country would be 'absolutely unacceptable', he said. Rhetorics of the Ukrainian officials 'was directly showing that they are not interested in a sustainable, fair, long-term settlement,' Mr Lavrov added. Mr Zelensky also announced that Ukraine had tested a long-range cruise missile, known as Flamingo, that can strike targets as far as 3,000km away. 'The missile has undergone successful tests. It is currently our most successful missile,' he told reporters. Mass production could begin by February, he added. Since Mr Trump returned to the White House in January and began pushing for an end to the fighting, Russian forces have continued to slowly but steadily gain ground across the front line. Mr Zelensky said Russian forces were building up troops along the front in the Zaporizhzhia region, which Moscow claims as its own – along with four other Ukrainian regions. Mr Trump met Mr Putin in Alaska on Aug 15, before bringing Mr Zelensky and European leaders to Washington for separate talks on Aug 18. Mr Zelensky has said the only way to end the war is a meeting with Mr Putin, and has said Mr Trump should be present too. But Moscow has played down the prospect of a summit between Mr Putin and Mr Zelensky any time soon, saying it wants to be included in discussions on future security guarantees for Ukraine. AFP
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
US issues sanctions on networks, vessels for dealing in Iran oil
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: U.S. and Iran flags are seen in this illustration taken June 18, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File photo WASHINGTON - The Trump administration on Thursday issued more Iran-related sanctions, targeting 13 entities based in Hong Kong, China, the United Arab Emirates and the Marshall Islands, as well as eight vessels, the U.S. Treasury Department said. The measures cover Greek national Antonios Margaritis and his network of companies and vessels that Treasury said was involved in transporting Iranian oil exports in violation of sanctions. Treasury also designated Ares Shipping Limited in Hong Kong, Comford Management in the Marshall Islands and Hong Kong Hangshun Shipping Limited in Hong Kong. Designated crude oil tankers include Panama-flagged vessels Adeline G and Kongm, and Lafit under the flag of Sao Tome and Principe. The State Department separately said it imposed sanctions on two China-based operators of oil-related terminals and storage. It said they handled imports of Iranian oil aboard tankers previously targeted by U.S. sanctions. The firms were identified as Qingdao Port Haiye Dongjiakou Oil Products Co in Shandong province and Yangshan Shengang International Petroleum Storage and Transportation Co in Zhejiang province. Iran suspended talks with Washington aimed at curbing the Islamic Republic's nuclear ambitions after the U.S. and Israel struck its nuclear sites in June. Iran denies any intent to develop atomic bombs. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Courier tip-off leads to HSA seizure of Kpods, drugs in Tampines and Grange Road raids Singapore Large flocks of parakeets a spectacle in Choa Chu Kang, but they may affect native species Singapore Singapore students shine in Paris with record medal haul at history Olympiad Singapore Teacher charged over allegedly making student undress in video call, sending her his nude photo Singapore Painting by police NSF presented to Shanmugam to commemorate 50 years of Police National Service Business 8 more active ETFs by JPMorgan Asset Management available to Singapore investors Business Changi Travel Services cuts 30 staff amid market shifts Asia HK water scandal: How distrust over China bottled water sparked a probe into govt contract Iran's top diplomat said on Wednesday that the moment for "effective" nuclear talks with the United States has not yet arrived, adding that Iran would not completely cut off cooperation with the U.N. nuclear watchdog. REUTERS
