Lebanon said on Thursday it was launching the planned disarmament of Palestinian factions in refugee camps, part of a wider effort to establish a state monopoly on arms.

Palestinian factions have started handing over some weapons from a refugee camp near Beirut to the Lebanese army. It marks the first step in a plan announced in May during a visit by

Some armed Palestinian groups in Lebanese refugee camps began handing over their weapons to the authorities on Thursday after reaching a deal earlier this year, with Washington hailing the move as a "historic step".