A graduation ceremony for a military and professional training course for personnel of the Directorate General of State Security was held earlier today, Monday, 28-09-2026, at the Martyr Major Wissam Eid Barracks – Internal Security Forces Institute in Aramoun. The ceremony was attended by the Institute Commander, Brigadier General Ahmad Abla, representing the Director General of the Internal Security Forces, Major General Raed Abdallah; Brigadier General Youssef El Cheddiac, representing the Director General of State Security, Major General Edgard Lawandos; Criminal Judge Patricia Bou Abboud; Brigadier General Abbas Bou Hamdan, representing the Army Commander; Brigadier General Hadi Abou Chacra, representing the Director General of General Security; Lieutenant Colonel Abdelsalam Zarzour, representing the Director General of Customs; as well as officers from the Internal Security Forces and State Security, and the training officers and non-commissioned officers. The ceremony began with the Lebanese national anthem. This was followed by a parade of the participating forces to the music of the Internal Security Forces. Commemorative shields were then exchanged between the Internal Security Forces and State Security, followed by the oath-taking ceremony before Judge Bou Abboud and the naming of the course “Sword of the Nation”, after which a simulation of several security missions was carried out by a number of male and female graduates. Brigadier General El Cheddiac then delivered a speech on behalf of Major General Lawandos, in which he said: I am honored, on behalf of Major General Edgard Lawandos, Director General of State Security, to represent him at this ceremony marking the completion of the serious professional training you undertook with commitment and discipline, as you join the ranks of the Directorate General of State Security as of today. This graduation is not merely a ceremonial occasion, but rather the culmination of strenuous efforts and fruitful joint cooperation with the Internal Security Forces Institute, within this educational institution that hosted your training, where officers and non-commissioned officers supervised your preparation and made great efforts to complete this mission. This cooperation among the security directorates is a model to be followed and reflects unity of purpose and the integration of roles in serving the nation and protecting its security and stability. Dear graduates, You were selected to join the State Security ranks based on competence and merit, and not on any other consideration. This requires you, starting today, to live up to the trust placed in you and prove worthy of it. You will form the backbone and future of this Directorate General. There is no place for those who are negligent or complacent, who fail to keep pace with modern working methods or to continuously develop themselves. Modern security work does not tolerate stagnation and requires constant vigilance and continuous updating of knowledge and performance, particularly with regard to the tasks entrusted to State Security in combating corruption that has wreaked havoc in state ministries, administrations and treasury. Always remember that you swore an oath to uphold the law and to place the national interest above all else. Your duty is to uphold the authority of the state with firmness and strength, but without abusing or exploiting authority for personal gain. The leadership of the Directorate General of State Security is working to develop working mechanisms and introduce modern methods in administrative and security work in order to keep pace with the rapidly evolving nature of security challenges. The Directorate General is also working to strengthen the resilience of its personnel in various fields, particularly medical services. In this context, the Directorate General has requested an increase in the financial allocations designated for medical care and medical and educational assistance. It has also given due priority to the social aspect by developing plans to establish cooperatives in various regions alongside health centers, as an expression of its commitment to caring for the large State Security family of serving personnel, retirees and their families, who remain an essential part of this Directorate General’s family. We will not forget their sacrifices and contributions. You will join colleagues who have sacrificed greatly for the strength and resilience of this nation. On this occasion, we remember a group of your fellow martyrs who gave their lives in defense of their homeland. Live up to these sacrifices and spare no effort in protecting our beloved Lebanon. In conclusion, I call on you to carry the State Security motto, “Trust, Protection and Security,” with pride and dignity, and to live up to the responsibility entrusted to you in serving the nation and protecting its security. Long live the Directorate General of State Security, long live the Internal Security Forces, and long live Lebanon. Brigadier General Abla then delivered a speech on behalf of Major General Abdallah, the text of which follows: On behalf of the Director General of the Internal Security Forces, Major General Raed Abdallah, and on my own behalf, I welcome you to the Internal Security Forces Institute. Today, after several months of training, we meet here at the Internal Security Forces Institute to celebrate the graduation of the “Sword of the Nation” course for State Security personnel who have chosen to assume a responsibility that goes beyond the boundaries of a job, becoming a commitment to serving the nation and its citizens. The genuine training we always strive for does not merely graduate a security officer equipped with technical and field skills; it also builds a security professional capable of remaining steadfast in all situations, respecting people and the law, and acting with professionalism and responsibility. Therefore, I say to you, dear graduates: you entered this institute as civilians, and today you graduate having acquired an awareness of responsibility and the weight of the trust entrusted to you. You graduated under difficult circumstances, and it is in difficult times that determination is tested, the meaning of belonging and citizenship is put to the test, and the true meaning of patriotism, of which the nation is proud, emerges. As of today, you are part of the image of the institution to which you belong. Every action you take will carry its name, and every success will be credited to it. Live up to the trust placed in you and the responsibility you have chosen to shoulder. Remember that a security officer is not measured by his uniform and powers, but by the impact he leaves throughout his service: either he strengthens citizens’ trust in their institution or he weakens it. Therefore, genuine trust can only be built when citizens feel that the person standing before them is there to protect their rights, safeguard their security and preserve their dignity. I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to Major General Raed Abdallah, Director General of the Internal Security Forces, for his continued support and guidance. My thanks also go to the Director General of State Security for the continued trust placed in our training institution to host courses for preparing and qualifying security personnel. It is a trust we value and consider a responsibility that urges us to continue improving our performance and raising the standard of training. I also thank the Institute’s officers and personnel, as well as all the trainers who placed their expertise and knowledge at the service of the graduates, providing them with guidance, correcting their performance and encouraging them to develop their capabilities. The success of this course is the result of a collective effort reflected in leadership that provided support, an institute that hosted the course, trainers who gave their best, families who offered support, and graduates who worked hard. To all of you, we extend our sincere thanks and appreciation. I would also like to congratulate you today on your 41st anniversary, wishing you continued success. In conclusion, a salute of respect to the martyrs of the security agencies, particularly the martyrs of the Directorate General of State Security who fell in the line of duty in sacrifice for the nation and in defense of security and citizens. Long live our beloved homeland, Lebanon. Finally, a cocktail reception was held, and commemorative photographs were taken.

28/9/2026

Issued by the Directorate General of the Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division The following statement: As part of the ongoing efforts undertaken by the Internal Security Forces to protect minors, pursue and arrest those who commit crimes against them, the North Investigation Detachment of the Regional Gendarmerie Unit received information that a person was detaining his nine-year-old son inside his home in the Al-Tabbaneh area and subjecting him to abuse. As a result of the follow-up, members of the Detachment managed to determine his whereabouts. Accordingly, one of the Detachment’s patrols proceeded to the location and freed the child, who was found restrained with an iron chain, with one end fastened around his neck with a lock and the other end secured to a wooden cabinet with another lock. On 26-09-2026, the child’s father, identified as: K.M.A. (born in 1971, Syrian national), was arrested. According to the father’s statement, he had restrained his son in this manner to prevent him from leaving the house and going out into the street. It was also established that the child had not been given any food since the previous day. During the taking of his statement, in the presence of a juvenile affairs representative, the minor stated that he had been repeatedly subjected to beatings and abuse for some time, and that his father had continuously restrained him with the iron chain in the aforementioned manner, confirming that this was not the first time he had been subjected to such acts. It was also established that the child’s mother, identified as: M.M. (born in 1978, Lebanese national), had severely beaten her minor daughter with an electrical wire. She was arrested, and the two children were handed over to their older brother, while a specialized association was tasked with taking care of them and providing them with the necessary assistance and care. The two detainees were handed over to the relevant unit to take the necessary legal measures against them, pursuant to the instructions of the competent judicial authorities.

28/9/2026

Issued by the Directorate General of the Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division The following statement: As part of the ongoing efforts undertaken by the Internal Security Forces to combat robbery and theft, the Information Branch received information about a gang whose members were carrying out robberies in several areas of the Mount Lebanon Governorate. The Branch managed to identify them, including the gang’s ringleader, identified as: M.H. (born in 1993, Lebanese), who is wanted by the judiciary under five judicial warrants for the following offences: forming a gang, theft and armed robbery, attempted murder, and shooting. As part of the follow-up, an Information Branch patrol spotted him in the town of Aanout – Chouf, aboard a white motorcycle without a license plate. He was arrested and the motorcycle was seized. During interrogation, he admitted to the charges against him, namely his involvement with others in carrying out robbery operations in several areas across Mount Lebanon. He was handed over, along with the motorcycle, to the relevant unit to take the necessary legal measures against him. Efforts are still underway to arrest the remaining members of the gang.

28/9/2026

Issued by the Directorate General of the Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division The following statement: As part of the ongoing efforts undertaken by the Internal Security Forces to combat all types of crime across various Lebanese regions and arrest those responsible, on 22-09-2026, a patrol from the North Investigation Detachment of the Regional Gendarmerie Unit arrested three individuals in Al Mina and Abi Samra – Tripoli. They are: Y.S. (born in 1999, Palestinian national), wanted under an arrest warrant for drug trafficking. A.H. (born in 2002, Lebanese national). M.K. (born in 2007, Lebanese national). Upon searching them, a variety of narcotic substances were found in their possession. The detainees and the seized items were handed over to the relevant unit to take the necessary legal measures, pursuant to the instructions of the competent judicial authorities.

27/9/2026

Issued by the Directorate General of the Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division The following statement: As part of the daily efforts undertaken by the Internal Security Forces to combat crime across various Lebanese regions, the Information Branch received information on 08-09-2026 regarding an incident in which a military-grade “Kalashnikov” rifle was fired at an Internal Security Forces patrol, resulting in two of its members being injured while the patrol was carrying out a raid operation in the Ouzai area. The shooter then fled to an unknown destination. Following the incident, the Branch’s relevant units launched field and intelligence operations to identify and arrest the shooter. As a result of inquiries and investigations, his identity was established. He was identified as: G.F. (born in 1994, Palestinian national). He has a criminal record involving robbery and theft, and two final court rulings had been issued against him for robbery, sentencing him to life imprisonment. On 10-09-2026, following a precise surveillance and monitoring operation, an Information Branch patrol managed to arrest him in the Ouzai area. The necessary legal measures were taken against him, and he was handed over to the relevant authority pursuant to the instructions of the competent judicial authorities.

26/9/2026

Issued by the Directorate General of the Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division The following statement: On 06-09-2026, citizen B.B. (born in 1961) filed a complaint against unidentified individuals for breaking into his house, located in the Smar Jbeil – Batroun area, and stealing a safe containing jewelry, gold bars, and sums of money, which he estimated at a total value of three million US dollars. Immediately afterwards, the relevant Internal Security Forces units began field and intelligence operations to uncover and arrest those involved. As a result of inquiries and investigations, the Information Branch succeeded in identifying them. They are: A.A.K. (born in 1992, Lebanese). M.H. (born in 1987, Lebanese). K.T. (born in 1986, Lebanese). On 08-09-2026 and 14-09-2026, following precise surveillance and monitoring operations, Information Branch patrols arrested the first and second suspects in the Kousha – Akkar area, and the third in the Akkar El Nabaa area. During questioning, they admitted to the charges against them, namely conspiring to plan the theft of the safe and carrying out the burglary. They stated that they had hidden the stolen items in several locations after removing and breaking open the safe. Part of the stolen property was recovered and handed over to the complainant, including USD 25,500 in cash, a quantity of jewelry and gold pieces, four wristwatches, three firearms, five hunting rifles, and some personal documents and papers. The necessary legal measures were taken against the detainees, and they were handed over to the relevant authority pursuant to the instructions of the competent judicial authorities.

25/9/2026

Issued by the Directorate General of the Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division The following statement: The Bekaa Investigation Detachment of the Regional Gendarmerie Unit has launched the largest field campaign to crack down on illegal hunting nets, covering a number of areas, orchards, and plains across the Bekaa, as part of efforts to combat the extermination of birds, particularly through the use of nets set up as traps that surround birds, obstruct their migration routes, cause the death of large numbers of them, and lead to the extermination of entire flocks. This turns migration seasons into massacres against birds, threatening biodiversity, disrupting the ecological balance, depleting natural resources, and depriving Lebanon’s skies of its birds. Over three consecutive days, a force from the aforementioned Detachment carried out raids in the outskirts of the town of Arsal, as well as in the plains of the towns of Labweh, Ras Baalbek, Jdeidet Al-Fakha, Jabbouleh, Mashari' Al-Qaa, Masa, and Al-Nasriyeh, to seize illegally installed hunting nets. These operations resulted in the seizure of bird-catching nets with a total area of /20,640/ square meters. As a result of follow-up operations, inquiries, and investigations, members of the Detachment succeeded in identifying a number of individuals involved, and work is underway to take legal measures against them. The seized items were handed over to the relevant units, while the investigation remains ongoing pursuant to the instructions of the competent judicial authorities. The Directorate General of the Internal Security Forces renews its call on citizens to actively contribute to combating illegal hunting and violations targeting migratory birds, and to report violators when they are observed by documenting the violations through photographs or video footage and sending them via the “Balligh” reporting service, so that they can be followed up and the necessary measures taken, or by contacting the Operations Room at /112/.

24/9/2026

Issued by the Directorate General of the Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division The following statement: On 21-06-2026, in the Ain Saadeh area, unidentified individuals gained access to a factory by climbing into it and stole aluminium parts, doors, and vehicle parts from inside. They then fled in a white “Hyundai” pickup truck to an unknown destination. Following the incident, the relevant units of the Information Branch launched field and intelligence operations to identify and arrest those involved. As a result of inquiries and investigations, the Branch identified the perpetrators, including: K.M. (born in 2003, Syrian). S.M. (born in 2005, Syrian). On 10-09-2026, following a precise surveillance and monitoring operation, an Information Branch patrol arrested the first and second suspects simultaneously in the Mansourieh area. They were aboard a white “Hyundai” pickup truck, which was seized. During questioning, they admitted to the charges against them, namely their involvement with others in carrying out dozens of thefts by climbing into businesses and construction sites, including the aforementioned theft, in the areas of Mkalles, Dekwaneh, Ain Saadeh, Jdeideh, Dora, and Baalchmay. They stated that they stole vehicle parts, metals, wood, and plastic from inside these premises, loading the stolen items onto the pickup truck in which they were arrested or onto another pickup truck belonging to the first suspect. They further stated that they sold the stolen items at a scrap yard in the Bar Elias area. The necessary legal measures were taken against them, and they were handed over to the relevant authority pursuant to the instructions of the competent judicial authorities. Efforts are ongoing to arrest the remaining individuals involved.

24/9/2026