FSI agents in front of the detention center at the Beirut Palace of Justice. (Credit: Hassan Ammar/AFP.)
An armed group intercepted, on Thursday, a patrol vehicle from Meshmesh police station of the Internal Security Forces (ISF) in Akkar, North Lebanon, and freed a detainee who was being transported to a court hearing, reports our correspondent.
“The attackers blocked the vehicle's path and seized the prisoner at gunpoint, firing into the air before fleeing to an unknown destination,” adds the same source, noting that the operation was carried out quickly and in a coordinated manner.
Security forces have launched an investigation to identify the perpetrators of the attack, and efforts are underway to apprehend the escaped detainee and his accomplices.
Since December 2022, following a series of incidents including deadly shootings, former Interior Minister Bassam Maoulaoui had announced a specific security plan for northern Lebanon. Police patrols have been deployed in the streets for surveillance and control purposes, but this has not deterred many wrongdoers.
