1/9/2026
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.
General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division The following statement was issued: Several news websites and social media platforms circulated a report yesterday, 5 November 2026, claiming that six robbery incidents had taken place in the heart of Beirut within a period of 45 minutes. The General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces wishes to clarify that this report is inaccurate and exaggerated. In fact, only one robbery took place yesterday around midday, in the Tariq El Jdideh area. In this regard, at 4:00 a.m. on 5 November 2026, a patrol from the Beirut Investigation Unit managed to apprehend two individuals caught in the act while riding a motorcycle without a registration plate in the Ashrafieh area, along Pierre Gemayel Avenue, for having committed a robbery in the area. It was established that both individuals had previous records for similar offences. They are: H. H. (born in 2002, Lebanese) A. D. (born in 2006, Palestinian) The following items were seized in their possession: A white GR motorcycle without registration or vehicle documents. A quantity of cannabis (hashish) inside a shoulder bag. The two detainees were handed over to the relevant police station for the necessary legal procedures to be taken against them. The investigation is ongoing under the supervision of the competent judicial authorities. The General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces calls upon all media outlets and news websites to refrain from rushing to publish any information before verifying its accuracy, and to avoid exaggerating news reports that could negatively affect the overall situation in the country. It also urges citizens not to circulate such unverified reports, as they create confusion and spread fear among the public.
6/11/2026
General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division The following statement was issued: As part of the ongoing efforts undertaken by the units of the Internal Security Forces to combat all types of crime and apprehend those responsible, patrols from the Mount Lebanon Investigation Unit, under the Regional Gendarmerie Unit, managed to arrest five individuals considered among the most dangerous suspects in armed robbery, theft and pickpocketing, within a period of 24 hours. The arrests took place in various locations across the Mount Lebanon and Beirut Governorates. The individuals arrested are as follows: M. M. (born in 1994, Lebanese): Arrested in the Roueiss area, in Beirut's southern suburbs. He is suspected of stealing motorcycles from various areas in the southern suburbs and selling them inside Bourj el-Barajneh Camp. Video footage documenting his alleged criminal activities is available. W. M. (born in 1998, Lebanese): Wanted by the judiciary under an arrest warrant on charges of theft. He was arrested in the Haret El Naameh area. H. H. (born in 2004, of undetermined nationality): Subject to an arrest warrant on charges of motorcycle theft. He was arrested in the Sabra / Al-Harsh area. Y. K. (born in 1999, Lebanese): Suspected of carrying out motorcycle robberies in the Costa Brava area. He is wanted under an arrest warrant for motorcycle theft. He was arrested in the Sabra / Al-Harsh area. H. Sh. D. (born in 2004, Lebanese): Arrested in Wadi Chahrour following an exchange of gunfire with members of the patrol, during which he sustained injuries to his hand and leg. He was transferred to hospital for medical treatment, and his health condition is stable. The detainees were handed over to the relevant units to take the necessary legal measures against them, in accordance with the instructions of the competent judicial authorities.
6/11/2026
General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division The following statement was issued: On 5 November 2026, in the Bir Hassan area, two unidentified individuals assaulted a citizen and stole his motorcycle, inside the seat of which was USD 500,000, in addition to his pistol and mobile phone. The perpetrators then fled to an unknown destination. Following the incident, the specialized units of the Internal Security Forces launched field and intelligence operations to identify and apprehend the two perpetrators. As a result of investigations and inquiries, the Information Division managed to identify one of the suspects, namely: A. M. (born in 1998, Lebanese). Following careful surveillance and monitoring, a patrol from the Division managed to arrest him on 6 November 2026, in the Khaldeh area, and seized the stolen pistol in his possession. During questioning, he confessed to participating in the robbery with another individual. He also admitted that they had deposited part of the stolen money with several individuals and used the remaining portion to purchase a car. The Division managed to recover a substantial portion of the stolen amount. The necessary legal procedures were taken against the detainee. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the second individual involved, under the supervision of the competent judicial authorities.
6/11/2026
The General Directorate of Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division – issued the following statement: Infrastructure repair works in the Medawar area – Achrafieh A contractor company has commenced infrastructure repair works in the Medawar area of Achrafieh, in front of Baqlian Mills. The works will continue until 5:00 p.m. today, 5 November 2026. These works will require the closure of traffic at the specified location, with vehicles diverted behind the aforementioned mills towards Al-Bourj Company, until the completion of the works. Installation of reflective road studs in the Geitawi area A contractor company will install reflective road studs (cat’s eyes) in the Geitawi area, along the road extending from Saint George Hospital (Hôpital des Sœurs du Rosaire) to the end of the road section at Geitawi Hospital, followed by a stretch of 100 metres to the right and 30 metres to the left. The works will take place from 5 November 2026 until 30 November 2026, Monday through Saturday, from 6:00 p.m. until 5:00 a.m. the following day. On Sundays, however, the works will begin at 8:00 a.m. and end at 5:00 p.m. on the same day. Please note that these works will not result in traffic closures or any reduction in the available road width. Citizens are kindly requested to take note of these measures and comply with the instructions and guidance of Internal Security Forces personnel, as well as the posted traffic signs, in order to facilitate traffic flow.
5/11/2026
