Lebanese Army shifts focus to borders amid security, equipment, and funding challenges ahead of Paris Conference

Report by Lara El Hachem, English adaptation by Mariella Succar

“Here come the 16.” The phrase was once enough to spread fear among Lebanese, referring to the jeeps of the 16th Brigade of the Internal Security Forces, which was established during the term of President Fouad Chehab and remained active until 1975.

That year, the Lebanese Civil War erupted, state authority collapsed, and chaos spread across the country.

In 1989, a regional settlement was reached with the signing of the Taif Agreement. The war ended, militias were dissolved, and the Lebanese army was reunified. In 1991, the army was tasked with supporting the Internal Security Forces in maintaining domestic security.

Maintaining security and public order falls primarily within the mandate of the Internal Security Forces, while the Lebanese army’s core mission is to defend the country and protect its borders.

Over the years, successive presidents and prime ministers took office, and with political shifts came fluctuations in the strength and presence of each security agency.

Today, a decision has been made to task the army with consolidating control over weapons, a move that requires it to focus on its core mission of defending the borders and, consequently, to reduce its role in internal security operations.

Against this backdrop, the Quintet Committee is preparing to support both the Lebanese army and the security forces at a donor conference scheduled in Paris on March 5, preceded by a preparatory meeting in Cairo. The meeting is expected to be attended by Lebanese Armed Forces Commander Gen. Rodolphe Haykal and Internal Security Forces Director General Maj. Gen. Raed Abdallah.

The army, which is expected to expand its deployment south, north, and east, will have to redeploy units from inside the country to the borders. This has already occurred in areas such as Manara in Beirut, where a regiment was withdrawn and transferred to the south, while another unit expanded its duties and security forces intensified patrols in the area.

So far, the army has not left a security vacuum, which officials say would create vulnerabilities. This underscores the need to secure support for the security forces.

The Internal Security Forces, tasked with riot control and crime prevention, face shortages in ammunition and military vehicles, many of which are already in poor condition. Traffic units responsible for enforcing road laws lack sufficient motorcycles, and police stations that are supposed to perform judicial police functions face shortages of basic supplies.

In addition, the value of salaries for enlisted personnel and officers has sharply declined as a result of the financial crisis.

These issues are expected to be raised by Maj. Gen. Abdallah at the Cairo meeting as a central item on a list of demands overseen directly by Interior Minister Ahmad al-Hajjar.