Interior and Municipalities Minister Ahmad al-Hajjar held a meeting at his office Monday to discuss the security situation, particularly in Beirut and Tripoli, the state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported.

The meeting was attended by Internal Security Forces Director General Major General Imad Othman, Acting Beirut Police Chief Brigadier General Ahmad Abla, and the concerned officers, the NNA reported.

During the meeting, emphasis was placed on the "need to enhance the security measures to reduce recurring incidents and disturbances, maintain security, and ensure the safety of citizens. The importance of coordination between various security agencies for this purpose was also stressed," NNA reported. 

Additionally, there was a focus on strengthening traffic measures, particularly in Beirut, to facilitate the movement of vehicles, prevent congestion, and ensure public safety.

In early February, Beirut's governor, Marwan Abboud, decided to ban motorcycle use between the hours of 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. within Beirut's administrative area, with some exceptions subject to certain conditions.

The governor's decision follows an increase in robberies and pickpockets in Lebanon, often carried out using motorcycles.

However, official figures in Lebanon do not indicate an increase in crime rate and in most cases, perpetrators are apprehended by relevant authorities, a source at the ISF told L'Orient Today last week.  

According to the NNA, based on instructions from the Minister of the Interior and the Director General of the ISF, the police have “begun implementing a comprehensive security plan in Tripoli for the month of Ramadan, erecting roadblocks and deploying motorized and pedestrian patrols.”

The NNA noted that these measures have been taken “with the aim of maintaining order, limiting the phenomenon of illegal weapons, combating theft, reinforcing public order and facilitating traffic in the city.”

According to information from L'Orient Today's correspondent in North Lebanon, the Lebanese army stepped up its patrols in Tripoli on Monday.