3/6/2026
Issued by the General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division
The following statement was issued:
On 03-06-2026, a ceremony was held at Major General Martyr Wissam Al Hassan Barracks in Dbayeh for the handover of a donation provided by the Delegation of the European Union, in coordination with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), to the benefit of the General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces and the General Directorate of Civil Defense. The donation included maritime equipment and gear and was held under the patronage of His Excellency the Minister of Interior and Municipalities, Brigadier General Ahmad Al Hajjar, represented by the Director General of the Internal Security Forces, Major General Raed Abdallah.
The ceremony was attended by the Ambassador of the European Union, Ms. Sandra De Waele; the UNDP Resident Representative, Ms. Blerta Aliko; the representative of the Director General of Civil Defense, Mr. Ziad Chahine; Brigadier General Dr. Alfred Hanna, Head of the Staff Authority Unit; Brigadier General Jean Aouad, Commander of the Regional Gendarmerie Unit; Brigadier General Imad El Jammal, Commander of the Beirut Police Unit; Brigadier General Tony Matta, Commander of the Mobile Forces Unit; and a number of senior officers.
The ceremony commenced with the Lebanese National Anthem and the European Union Anthem, followed by a welcoming speech delivered by Brigadier General Matta, who welcomed the attendees and praised the importance of the donation as a genuine commitment to strengthening the maritime capabilities of the Internal Security Forces.
On this occasion, Major General Raed Abdallah, representing Minister of Interior and Municipalities Brigadier General Ahmad Al Hajjar, delivered a speech in which he thanked the European Union and the UNDP for the donation, emphasizing that it reflects the continuation of cooperation and support for Lebanese security institutions. He explained that the donation includes high-speed boats, jet skis, diving equipment, and specialized gear intended for several operational units of the Internal Security Forces, thereby enhancing their capabilities and operational effectiveness. He also commended the support provided to Civil Defense, given its role in strengthening rescue and emergency response capabilities.
He pointed out that this donation contributes to enhancing operational readiness and efficiency, particularly within Lebanese territorial waters, thereby strengthening the ability to address security challenges and combat various forms of crime and violations. He further stressed that developing the operational capacities of the Internal Security Forces has a direct impact on the quality of security services provided to citizens and contributes to reinforcing public trust, despite all accompanying challenges and circumstances. It also raises the level of coordination and integration among the various concerned agencies, foremost among them the Lebanese Army and Civil Defense, in order to achieve the best possible results in confronting risks and common challenges.
In her speech, Ambassador Sandra De Waele emphasized that the delivery of this equipment to the Internal Security Forces and Civil Defense aims to strengthen the capacity of Lebanese institutions to protect citizens, respond to emergencies, and save lives. She noted that the European Union, in cooperation with the UNDP, supports Lebanon by enhancing the capabilities of security institutions and first-response agencies.
She explained that the donation includes diving equipment, boats, communication devices, and maritime response equipment for several units of the Internal Security Forces and Civil Defense, representing an investment exceeding USD 1.2 million. She further stressed that the effectiveness of search and rescue operations depends not only on equipment but also on cooperation, coordination, and information-sharing among the relevant institutions. She concluded by reaffirming the European Union’s continued support for Lebanon and its security institutions and expressed her appreciation to the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities, the Internal Security Forces, Civil Defense, and the UNDP for their cooperation and partnership.
For her part, UNDP Resident Representative Ms. Blerta Aliko emphasized that current developments in Lebanon highlight the importance of preparedness and the role of national institutions and first responders in addressing crises, stressing the need to equip them with the necessary skills and resources. She indicated that the equipment provided through European Union support would strengthen maritime search and rescue capacities within the Internal Security Forces and Civil Defense, thereby helping save lives and ensure rapid response to incidents.
She also noted that this initiative falls within the framework of UNDP efforts aimed at supporting stability, recovery, and the resilience of national institutions. She explained that the programme has implemented several initiatives in this context, including the establishment of a Joint Rescue Coordination Centre and the rehabilitation of eleven facilities belonging to the Internal Security Forces. She concluded by affirming that these investments enhance the efficiency of public institutions and strengthen citizens’ confidence in them, while thanking the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities, the Internal Security Forces, Civil Defense, and the European Union for their partnership and continued support.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Dr. Zahi Chahine of UNDP delivered a PowerPoint presentation providing a detailed explanation of the maritime equipment donated, the mechanisms for its use, and its role in supporting the operational and rescue missions carried out by the Internal Security Forces and Civil Defense. He also highlighted the importance of this equipment in strengthening field readiness and enhancing rapid-response and intervention capabilities in search-and-rescue operations and various maritime missions.
Following the presentation, attendees toured the donated equipment and boats displayed outdoors, and several of these assets were demonstrated at sea.
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
