Annan to Succeed Saadeh as Acting Police Chief

The commander of the northern region in the Internal Security Forces Brigadier General Mahmoud Annan will reportedly succeed Brig. Gen. Elias Saadeh as acting Police chief.

According to As Safir newspaper published Thursday, the decision to appoint Annan was based on hierarchy at the ISF, a decision taken by the head of the institution Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Basbous.

Saadeh's tenure ends on May 22 and was appointed in 2013 as the successor of Brig. Gen. Joseph Doueihy.

The appointment of an acting chief comes amid several crises gripping the state since the end of President Michel Suleiman's tenure in May last year.

The presidential crisis is impacting state institutions and vacuum is threatening military posts in Lebanon, including the ISF as Basbous is set to retire in June, while the term of army commander Gen. Jean Qahwaji expires at the end of September.

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