Lebanon to deploy troops to south?

The Lebanese Army servicemen


Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=136461§ionid=351020203


Lebanon has apparently started to increase its standing army in the south of the country after UN French forces' reported incitation of local outrage in the area.

"The region…will be under the control of the 8th [Lebanese Army] Brigade, with more than 1,500 soldiers deployed on a permanent basis,” Beirut-based newspaper, The Daily Star reported on Tuesday, citing an unnamed official.

“[Lebanese Prime Minister Saad] Hariri informed me about the deployment of a complete Brigade of the Lebanese Army in south Lebanon starting today,” French ambassador, Dennis Pietton said on Monday, the paper added.

The troops would be combat ready by August and are expected to enhance coordination with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which is on a mandate to patrol the southern parts of the country.

Earlier in the month, the French forces enlisted with the UNIFIL arrested a local youth in a southern village, inciting clashes with the locals. They then took the captive to a nearby town, where they continued to anger the local residents by violating the civilians' privacy.