Lebanese soldiers patrolling the streets of Tripoli in northern Lebanon, December 4, 2013. (Credit: Ibrahim Chalhoub/AFP)
BEIRUT — Voice notes circulated on Lebanese social media on Wednesday, claiming the French embassy is warning its nationals of a possible bomb or security incident in Lebanon.
The viral voice notes reported that an incident would occur in the coming few days, and advised French nationals to avoid congested areas like bars, pubs, and restaurants
However, the voice notes are fake, the Consulate General of France in Beirut confirmed in a Wednesday tweet.
— ConsulatFRLIBAN (@ConsulatFRLiban) August 2, 2023
The Consulate denied “the news circulating about sending a warning to French nationals to warn them of security disturbances in Lebanon.”
The Consulate advised citizens to “beware of falling for fake news and to check the embassy's main website for guidelines and instructions,” over safety concerns.