ISF Denies Asking Members Not to Wear Uniform in Public over al-Beddawi Clash

The Directorate General of Internal Security Forces on Monday denied issuing a memo instructing ISF members not to wear uniform in public in the wake of the deadly clashes that erupted in Tripoli's al-Beddawi on Sunday.

“As the directorate highlights its deep confidence and close ties with all citizens and the components of the Lebanese society, it clarifies that it is still performing its duties in a regular manner, and it declares that these reports are totally baseless,” it said in a statement.

The Akhbar al-Yawm news agency reported earlier on Monday that the ISF instructed its members not to wear uniform outside their barracks, “especially members who are heading to the North, as a precaution against any attack after the incidents that happened in al-Beddawi.”

The directorate called on all media outlets to be accurate when publishing news related to the ISF and to obtain information on the work of the institution from its public relations department.

Three people were killed, including an ISF member, in clashes over the removal of illegal constructions in the Tripoli area of al-Beddawi on Sunday.

Residents of al-Beddawi neighborhood of Wadi al-Nahleh buried their dead on Monday amid a tense situation that saw gunmen roaming the streets and opening fire in the air.

Five ISF members and several citizens were also injured in the clashes while two ISF vehicles were torched and several others were damaged.