Lebanon is close to completing the disarmament of Hezbollah south of the Litani River before a deadline set for the end of the year, as part of a ceasefire agreement with Israel.
Saturday's statement comes as the country struggles to meet a key demand of the US-backed deal, which was agreed in November last year and ended more than a year of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.
The agreement calls for the disarmament of the Iranian-linked Lebanese armed group, starting in the southern areas of the river near Israel.
Lebanese authorities, led by President Joseph Aoun and Salam, tasked the US-backed Lebanese army on August 5 to draw up a plan to establish a state monopoly on weapons by the end of the year.
“Prime Minister Salam confirmed that the first phase of the arms consolidation plan, relating to the southern Litani River area, is just days away from completion,” a statement from his office said.
“The state is ready to move to the second phase – namely [the confiscation of weapons] north of the Litani River – based on the plan prepared by the Lebanese army in accordance with the government’s mandates,” Salam added.
Committee meeting
The statement came after Salam held talks with Simon Karam, Lebanon's chief civilian negotiator on a committee overseeing the Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire.
