Increased security presence as annual holiday season approaches, LAF deploy in Sawiri

The Lebanese Armed Forces deployed across the Western Bekaa town of Sawiri, where two citizens from al-Janbayn family will be buried after the noon prayer.

The LAF had controlled the situation in the town on Sunday, when clashes renewed on the backdrop of a personal dispute, during which two Sunni citizens from al-Janbayn family were killed by Shiite gunmen from the Shouman family.

However, sources said that the Shouman family will not bury their relatives, who died on Sunday during the clashes, today, leaving the funeral until Tuesday due to the al-Janbayn family’s objection. The sources added that politicians are deploying efforts to calm both parties and prevent further escalation.

In this context, the army forces have been inspecting all the vehicles since Sunday, in order to prevent any escalation, and have arrested seven persons on charges of opening fire and burning houses.

In a similar event, hundreds of Lebanese military personnel have been deployed across the country to safeguard places of worship, highways and tourist destinations during the holiday season.

The country's security services say they are guarding against the threat of attack and have ordered a series of strict security measures to safeguard the public.

The army has also asked citizens to cooperate fully with the new measures and Gabi Barakat, a citizen from Beirut was among those happy to do so.

"The Lebanese army presence will make us feel safe and secure and independent," he said. "In God's will, we hope it will stay like this even after the holidays so that security and safety will be achieved."

In the past few months, a series of bomb attacks has raised fears that the fighting in neighboring Syria will escalate and spill over the Lebanese border.

To counteract the threat, forces have been sent into Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, Mount Lebanon and sites near the northern and southern borders.
Also on Monday, Lebanon's police forces have been instructed to remain on high alert.