Troops from the Lebanese Army ready to be deployed to ensure security during the legislative elections on May 14, 2022. (Credit: @LebarmyOfficial/X)
The Lebanese Army announced that it has taken secure measures starting Friday in the regions concerned by the first stage of the municipal elections, which is set to take place on Sunday across Mount Lebanon.
“Military units have started to deploy and take measures that include the installation of temporary roadblocks and patrols whose mission will be to maintain security and stability during the electoral process, while preventing confrontations,” the army command said in a statement.
The army command also asks citizens to “comply with directives for their own safety. These measures will allow them to express themselves freely at the polls, in an atmosphere of liberty and democracy. It also asks them to head to the nearest military center in case of incidents or to call the operations room at 117.”
The municipal elections will span the first three Sundays of May and its last Saturday. This deadline comes three years late, due to successive crises in Lebanon.
The Internal Security Forces (ISF) announced a series of measures to be implemented over the weekend in Mount Lebanon ahead of the municipal elections.
Truck traffic will be banned from Saturday at noon until 11 a.m. Monday, with exceptions made for vehicles carrying wheat to bakeries, printed materials, fuel tankers, garbage trucks, trucks transporting election materials to and from polling stations, and vehicles belonging to security forces, Civil Defense, municipalities, and the Red Cross.
Motorcycles will also be banned from circulating in Mount Lebanon on Sunday from 7 a.m. to midnight, with exceptions for two-wheelers used by security services, public sector employees, municipalities, journalists, press photographers and licensed professionals such as delivery services and pharmacies.
Convoys will be prohibited from Saturday at 7 a.m. until Tuesday at 8 a.m.