Police deployed on a street in Tripoli, North Lebanon, Dec. 12, 2022. (Credit: Courtesy of Michel Hallak)
BEIRUT — The Internal Security Forces (ISF) last month arrested 11 men in Tripoli on suspicion of murder, attempted murder, theft and the possession of weapons, as part of a security plan in the north, according to a statement issued by the security force.
The arrests took place on May 14, according to the statement.
The 11 men's ages ranged between 54 and 22. Among those arrested, nine are Lebanese nationals, and the other two are Syrian nationals. Their suspected crimes include murder, attempted murder, theft, drug use, firing a military rifle, stealing a bicycle using a military pistol, extortion and illegal residency.
In January, caretaker Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi announced an increased security presence in northern Tripoli following a security meeting, emphasizing that the plan aimed to achieve the highest degree of safety. Despite a security plan launched by the ISF in December 2022, which included police patrols, Tripoli, Lebanon's poorest city, has continued to experience numerous security incidents, including fatal shootings.
Over the past weeks, the ISF's General Directorate has maximized the deployment of security patrols and established checkpoints at different times throughout Beirut in an attempt to "maintain security and order" and deter the use of illegal motorcycles and vehicles.