Security in Lebanon

With tourism and the number of foreigners increasing, Lebanon is more and more becoming a hotspot in the Middle East. Yet, when planning to visit the country, security risks should be taken into account as parts of Lebanon can suddenly become volatile, also due to the ongoing situation in Syria. Therefore, some information, tips and tools are provided below.

Embassy Registration & Information
Before arriving in Lebanon, it is advised to register yourself and your stay at the embassy of your country of origin in Lebanon (Beirut). In many cases, this can be done online. After registration, the embassy will be able to keep you informed of important developments in the country. It is also recommended to regularly consult the security information provided by your embassy, though some embassies are stricter than others.

Media
The best advice to follow is to stay well informed on the latest political and security developments in Lebanon, especially before planning a trip to areas such as Dahiyeh, Tripoli, Akkar, South Lebanon, and the eastern part of the Beqaa Valley. In Lebanon, the best way to keep up to date on the latest news is by the Daily Star and Now News.

Traffic
While going around in Lebanon, one should be alert on Lebanon’s chaotic and anarchist way of driving, given that speeding, running red lights and random parking are a daily reality.
 
Criminality
With poverty and a large increase of (Syrian) refugees in the country, small crime in Lebanon is on the raise. Yet, compared to large Western cities, the level of small crime is still on the low side. As a foreigner, one should especially be wary of robbery and harassment in servees taxi’s, mostly occurring late at night.

Pictures
In Lebanon, photographing strategic locations such as governmental building and army checkpoints, as well as policemen and soldiers on duty is prohibited. Taking pictures in Hezbollah areas, such as Dahiyeh and parts of the Beqaa Valley or South Lebanon will most probably get you into trouble as well.

The Situation in Syria and its Impact on Lebanon
The revolt that began in Syria in 2011 inevitably had and has its impact on the security situation in Lebanon. From 2012 to 2016, the northern city of Tripoli, which already witnessed periodic flare-ups of violence between the Sunni and Alawi’ite (pro-Assad) neighborhoods, saw a sharp increase in armed street clashes. Currently, Lebanese factions such as Hezbollah and right wing Sunnis still are openly and actively supporting different sides of the Syrian conflict. Periodic security incidents, such as in 2012 the arrest of former Information Minister Samaha on charges of terrorism, and the assassination of Brigadier General Wissam al-Hassan - head of the information branch of the Internal Security Forces (ISF) -, as well as the assassination of ex-Minister Mohammad Chatah in 2013, lead to outbreaks of insecurity and violence in the country. In 2013 and 2014, Dahiyeh was subject to several terrorist attacks (car bombs), presumably related to Hezbollah’s interference in Syria. Cross-border incursions by Syrian forces and IS, which especially had its impact in areas such as Akkar and East Beqaa, were ended in 2017.

Kidnapping
Westerners run an increased risk of getting kidnapped by extremists in the northern and eastern parts of Lebanon, including North Akkar and East Beqaa, yet reported cases are extremely low. 

South Lebanon - Security Pass Number
As a non-Lebanese, to visit the region south of Litani River, which includes Beaufort Castle, Hasbaya, Khiam and the area south of Tyre, you need a security pass number. This can be obtained from the Army Security Service (Mukhabbarat al-Jeish) in Haret Saida. For more information (bottom of page), click here.