The Directorate General of the Internal Security Forces, in cooperation with the Vehicle and Machinery Registration Authority, organized a training course at the Internal Security Forces Institute – Aramoun for candidates seeking a driving instructor license. The candidates completed a specialized training program after obtaining a Technical Superior (TS) diploma in Traffic Studies. On 27 August 2026, under the patronage of Internal Security Forces Director General Major General Raed Abdallah, a graduation and certificate-awarding ceremony was held at the Institute’s Major General Ambassador Ahmad El-Hajj Hall, following the trainees’ completion of the program. The ceremony was attended by ISF Institute Commander Brigadier General Ahmad Abla; course coordinator between the ISF Institute and the Vehicle and Machinery Registration Authority and Head of the Public Relations Division, Brigadier General Joseph Mousallem; First and Second Assistant Commanders of the Institute, Brigadier Generals Saadallah Semrout and Ahmad Ali Ahmad; Officers’ College Commander Brigadier General Ahmad Abou Daher; as well as officers, civilian instructors, graduates, and other Institute officers. Remarks by Institute Commander Brigadier General Ahmad Abla: On behalf of ISF Director General Major General Raed Abdallah, and on my own behalf, I welcome you to the Internal Security Forces Institute. Given Lebanon’s economic circumstances and their impact on infrastructure, the suspension of vehicle inspections, the high number of road accidents and fatalities, as well as reckless driving and disregard for traffic laws by some motorists, this first-of-its-kind course is intended to strengthen road safety, reduce accidents, and ensure that citizens wishing to learn to drive are trained in proper driving principles in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. At the Internal Security Forces Institute, we are committed to organizing such courses and promoting road safety, alongside the many academic, theoretical, and practical training programs we provide. Today, we are pleased to graduate the first class of the Driving Instructor License course. Congratulations on your graduation. I encourage you to make the fullest possible use of the knowledge and experience you have acquired to educate and train citizens. Finally, we thank Minister of Interior and Municipalities Ahmad Hajjar for supporting this course, as well as Head of the Vehicle Registration Authority Brigadier General Nazih Kobrossli for his efforts to introduce specialized instructors into driving schools. Long live the Internal Security Forces, and long live Lebanon. Remarks by Course Coordinator Brigadier General Joseph Mousallem: Today’s occasion goes beyond receiving a certificate: you are taking on a responsibility. This certificate is the culmination of a long period of study, specialization, and training. You began this journey after completing your TS in Traffic Studies, and today you are completing an essential stage on your path to becoming driving instructors. For us, however, this is not the end goal; it is the beginning of much greater ambitions. For years, we have had a dream: to establish genuine driving schools in Lebanon—schools that do not merely teach people how to operate a vehicle, but teach them how to protect their own lives and the lives of others. You are therefore not simply the first class of driving instructors; you are part of a foundational stage at the national level. Tomorrow, you will return to your communities, schools, and students and teach them not only traffic laws, but also a road culture that protects lives, an ethic of driving that promotes safety, and a concept of road safety that reflects civic responsibility. Traffic law is not merely a collection of rules and penalties. It affects every citizen and every road user and can serve as a means of teaching responsibility, respect, ethics, national belonging, and how we communicate with one another on the road. With road accidents and fatalities reaching an alarming level, your mission is to help build a common language of the road for all road users in Lebanon—a language understood and respected by everyone, one that recognizes that the road does not belong to any one person and that behind every car, every motorcycle, and every road user is a human being whose family is waiting for them to return home. Like many developed countries, we can significantly reduce road fatalities. This is an enormous responsibility because it touches directly on the balance between life and death. We can achieve this if we work together, change our driving culture, and make road safety a conviction, a philosophy, and a way of life rather than merely a subject taught in the classroom. Your true success will not be measured by the number of people you teach to drive, but by the number of people you help return safely to their homes and families. I hope this certificate marks the beginning of a new journey that we will continue together toward genuine driving schools, more responsible drivers, and safer roads. Congratulations to everyone. Our shared mission is to contribute to the development of our country, the advancement of our society, and the protection of the lives of all those who live here. Long live road safety, and long live the youth of Lebanon. During the ceremony, the graduates took the Driving Instructor’s Oath (“Waad Alayye”). Brigadier Generals Ahmad Abla, Joseph Mousallem, and Ahmad Abou Daher, together with Bassam Dagher, Secretary of the Association of Driving School Owners in Lebanon, then presented the graduates with their certificates. Commemorative photographs were taken at the conclusion of the ceremony.

1/9/2026

The Directorate General of the Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division issued the following statement: As part of the ongoing efforts by specialized Internal Security Forces units to combat crime and apprehend perpetrators across Lebanon, particularly drug-related offences, and following investigations conducted by the Bekaa Investigation Detachment of the Territorial Gendarmerie Unit, its patrols arrested three individuals for various offences, as follows: 1- On 26 August 2026, a Detachment patrol arrested a drug dealer riding a motorcycle in the city of Zahle. He was identified as: M. N. M. M. (born in 2003, Syrian national). A search resulted in the seizure of: 67 Captagon pills, packaged in a container; A quantity of hashish; A small scale and tools used for packaging and consuming drugs. 2- On 29 August 2026, a Detachment patrol caught an individual red-handed while he was entering a citizen’s farm by climbing over its wall. He was identified as: A. M. (born in 2001, Lebanese national). A search revealed a stolen mobile phone in his possession. 3- On 31 August 2026, in the Chtaura area, a Detachment patrol arrested: A. H. (born in 1991, Lebanese national), who is wanted by the judiciary under an arrest warrant for shooting at an individual. A search of the suspect resulted in the seizure of a handgun. The three detainees and the seized items were handed over to the competent units for the necessary legal action, pursuant to the instructions of the competent judicial authority.

1/9/2026

The Directorate General of the Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division issued the following statement: As part of the Internal Security Forces’ ongoing efforts to pursue individuals involved in drug smuggling and distribution, and within the framework of the security plan implemented by the Judicial Police Unit to combat the scourge of drugs and curb their spread, the Central Anti-Narcotics Bureau received information about a Nigerian national suspected of smuggling cocaine into Lebanon through the airport by swallowing it in capsule form. The suspect had entered Lebanese territory at dawn on 14 August 2026. Following extensive investigations conducted by the Bureau’s patrols, as well as the collection and cross-checking of intelligence, officers succeeded in locating the suspect at a hotel in the Hamra area. Bureau patrols were then instructed to place him under close surveillance with a view to arresting him. On 16 August 2026, a Bureau unit raided his place of stay and arrested him in a surprise operation. He was identified as: I. S. (born in 1984, Nigerian national). Officers seized 78 capsules containing cocaine, with a total weight of 1.8 kg, from his possession. The necessary legal measures were taken against the suspect, who was referred, together with the seized narcotics, to the competent judicial authority.

31/8/2026

The Directorate General of the Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division issued the following statement: As part of the Internal Security Forces’ ongoing efforts to combat various forms of crime, the Information Branch obtained information about an unidentified individual who was blackmailing underage girls. Following this information, the Branch’s specialized units launched field and intelligence operations to identify and apprehend the perpetrator. Extensive investigations led to his identification as: A. M. (born in 2004, Syrian national). On 10 August 2026, following close surveillance and monitoring, a Branch patrol arrested him in a carefully planned ambush in the Bourj el-Barajneh area. The necessary legal measures were taken against him, and he was referred to the competent authority pursuant to the instructions of the competent judicial authority. Warning: In this context, the Internal Security Forces remind parents of the importance of educating their children about the risks of communicating with strangers or untrustworthy individuals on social media, and of not sharing personal photos or information with them. The Internal Security Forces also urge anyone subjected to threats or blackmail not to give in to the blackmailer or comply with their demands, to preserve all evidence, and to immediately report the incident to the competent authorities. Early reporting helps protect victims and enables authorities to pursue those responsible.

31/8/2026