Beirut : Lebanon began to deploy security forces in southern suburbs of the capital Beirut Monday to replace Hezbollah's checkpoints, National News Agency reported.
Amid deteriorating security situation, Hezbollah has set up checkpoints in the southern suburbs of Beirut, known as Dahieh, as the state was "unable to provide such security", Xinhua reported quoting caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel as saying.
Lebanese security personnel Monday began to take position on the main entrances to Dahieh and the airport road roundabout.
Charbel visited Dahiyeh as the deployment was taking place, and told reporters that the new plan was "a message to say that the state is present".
The minister also commended the Shiite group Hezbollah for its "excellent cooperation with security forces," adding that a similar plan will be implemented in Tripoli city.
The security plan, which includes the deployment of around 2,000 reserve personnel in Dahiyeh, was announced earlier by Charbel in response to the self-security measure implemented by Hezbollah in its Beirut stronghold.
Hezbollah's move was prompted by Lebanon's security situation which has recently deteriorated after car bombs attacks left dozens dead and hundreds injured in Dahieyh and Tripoli in August.
The security tension increased especially after the Shiite group announced that it was taking part in fighting along the Syrian regime in the violent uprising that has been gripping Syria since March 2011.
