Security Forces Complete Deployment in Dahieh and Charbel Hopes Step Would Extend to Tripoli

More than 1000 security forces members and soldiers deployed on Monday in Hizbullah's stronghold in the southern suburbs of Beirut, weeks after the party had adopted security measures in the area.

The army, Internal Security Forces, and General Security members set up checkpoints and took over Hizbullah's checkpoints in the area.

“The task force will finalize its deployment within 10 minutes,” Commander of Dahieh's ISF department Lt. Col. Mohammed Damen told al-Manar television around 8:30 p.m.

But minutes after, Hizbullah's leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah announced in a televised speech that the state's forces have “fully” completed their deployment in southern Beirut.

Hizbullah members left their posts to make way for the security forces, reported LBCI television.

MTV noted that security officials and Hizbullah officials held a coordination meeting away from the media spotlight.

The same source remarked that Dahieh will have six main entrances from now on, whereas al-Manar television said that 44 entrances in the region have now become under the supervision of the ISF members and the Lebanese Armed Forced.

It added, however, that the security plan won't only include checkpoints.

“It is an integrated plan that involves hot lines, communications and cooperation among three security agencies, which will also coordinate with the political parties in the region,” al-Manar detailed.

The security forces began deploying in the area on Monday afternoon, with an army unit taking over a checkpoint in the Mar Mikhael neighborhood in Dahieh at around 4:30 p.m.

Other units headed off to take over checkpoints in the the Msharrafieh and Ghobeiri neighborhoods.

Hizbullah members only left their posts after the arrival of the security forces.

Al-Jadeed television had reported that the security forces will take control of 60 entrances of Dahieh, including various alleyways.

The task force in Dahieh includes 100 General Security members, 300 soldiers and 400 Internal Security Forces personnel.

Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel later said from Dahieh: "The deployment is aimed at reassuring the people and giving them a sense of security despite the shortcomings we are suffering from."

"The residents should support the security forces and they should not doubt their competency and capabilities," he added.

"I urge the residents of Dahieh to cooperate with the security forces, who are deployed to ensure their safety," he continued.

"The problem in Dahieh and the phenomenon of autonomous security emerged because of our shortcomings," said the minister.

"The Interior Ministry serves all the people and it does not discriminate between them," he stressed.

Charbel hoped that the same security measures taken in Dahieh will be later implemented in the northern city of Tripoli, which had witnessed twin bombings targeting two mosques on August 23.

Later on Monday, the minister toured some Dahieh neighborhoods to inspect the security measures.

Asked by a reporter about the participation of the General Directorate of General Security in the plan, Charbel said: "Deploying in Dahieh is among the duties of General Security, whose members are well-trained."

Asked whether Hizbullah will take part in overseeing the plan, Charbel said: "Only security agencies will be involved in the operations room and we won't only coordinate with Hizbullah, but also with all citizens in Dahieh."

"Hizbullah members won't exist on the ground anymore and their presence had more cons than pros," Charbel noted.

The deployment in Dahieh is aimed at ending Hizbullah's measures of self-security following two deadly explosions that targeted its stronghold in the suburbs.

Among the measures taken by Hizbullah was setting up checkpoints inside and at the entrances of the suburbs.