Latest news with #AhmadHajjar
LBCI
3 days ago
- General
- LBCI
Civil Defense analyzes grain at Beirut Port silos amid ongoing safety concerns
Lebanon's Civil Defense announced it has conducted a comprehensive survey and analysis of grain stored at the Beirut Port silos, following directives from Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar and under the supervision of Acting Director General Brigadier General Nabil Farah. The mission was carried out by the Civil Defense's Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense (CBRN) unit and its technical team, upon request from the National Council for Scientific Research. The operation comes amid persistent concerns over the safety of the grain silos, which were damaged in the 2020 Beirut Port explosion and have since become a symbol of the disaster. Samples were collected from three separate sites within the wheat silos and sent to specialized laboratories for testing and analysis. The Civil Defense emphasized its continued commitment to national and humanitarian responsibilities, reaffirming efforts to ensure public safety and prevent any potential health or environmental risks stemming from the deteriorating grain storage conditions.
MTV Lebanon
4 days ago
- Politics
- MTV Lebanon
27 May 2025 18:12 PM Minister of Interior discusses general situation, bilateral ties with ambassadors of Spain, Turkey
Minister of Interior and Municipalities Ahmad Hajjar received in his office at the ministry, Spanish Ambassador to Lebanon Jesús Santos Aguado, with whom he discussed the general situation and ways to enhance joint cooperation. Minister Hajjar also received in his office, the Turkish Ambassador to Lebanon Murat Lütem. The meeting reportedly discussed the latest developments and the bilateral relations between the two countries.
LBCI
24-05-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar: Elections prove Lebanon's commitment to sovereignty and stability
Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar said the determination of the people of South Lebanon to live is what reassures them, and it explains their strong participation in the elections. He noted that "the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, and I personally made every effort to ensure a calm election day." In a statement, Hajjar said, "The Lebanese people and the state have made their position clear—nothing will deter us from exercising our sovereignty and holding elections." He added that "voter turnout was acceptable, and the important thing is that the electoral process took place." He concluded by stating that "the state is fulfilling its duties and remains completely neutral. We hope results will be announced as soon as possible, and the coming days will witness serious work to restore stability."
Asharq Al-Awsat
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Israeli Escalation Raises Tensions as Lebanon Prepares to Hold Municipal Elections in South
Lebanon fears that Israeli military escalation could undermine municipal elections scheduled for Saturday in the southern provinces of Nabatieh and South Lebanon, after two days of heavy bombardment raised concerns among voters. Israeli strikes on Monday and Tuesday targeted areas across the South, fueling anxiety among displaced residents who had planned to return to their villages to vote. A Lebanese ministerial source told Asharq Al-Awsat the latest escalation, particularly Tuesday's shelling of towns beyond the immediate border area, appears to be 'an attempt by Israel to disrupt voter turnout by heightening tension and fear.' The source added that the strikes seemed aimed at 'blocking efforts to restore normal life to the South and to undermine a sense of safety through the electoral process.' Lebanon will press ahead with municipal elections in the South this weekend despite the spike in Israeli attacks, Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar said on Tuesday, reaffirming that the state would not compromise on its sovereignty. The elections in the South will conclude the polls that have been held over the past three weeks. 'The Lebanese state has made its decision clear there will be no bargaining over our sovereignty in the South,' Hajjar told reporters after chairing a meeting to oversee preparations for the polls. Authorities are in contact with international actors to halt Israeli violations during the electoral period, he said, amid fears that security tensions could deter voter turnout or delay ballot counting. 'Israeli aggression and violations continue, and parts of the South remains occupied,' Hajjar said. 'But from the President to the Prime Minister and the Interior Ministry, we are engaged in all necessary diplomatic efforts to stop these violations, especially during the elections, through to the vote count and announcement of results.' Hajjar expressed hope that talks with member states of the ceasefire committee would help secure a calm election day. 'We are not waiting for guarantees,' he said, 'but we are determined to hold these elections and to assert our presence and sovereignty in this dear part of our land.'
Arab News
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Lebanon pushes for local elections despite Israeli attacks
BEIRUT: The Lebanese government still faces one final — and perhaps the most security sensitive — electoral challenge: the elections in the South and Nabatieh governorates. These elections, scheduled for their fourth phase this coming Saturday, will be held during ongoing Israeli incursions south and north of the Litani River. Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar, in the southern city of Sidon on Tuesday, affirmed that 'the government is mindful of the potential for Israeli violations and assaults during the municipal elections scheduled for Saturday. However, the decision remains clear and resolute regarding the continuation of the electoral process regardless of the circumstances.' The minister emphasized to Mansour Daou, the governor of South Lebanon, and representatives of the security, military, and judicial agencies in the South, 'the state's commitment to ensuring that the elections are conducted with integrity and safety,' underscoring their significance as part of the reconstruction process for the people of the South. In the lead-up to the elections, an Israeli military drone targeted a motorcycle on the road between Mansouri and Majdalzoun in the Tyre district, resulting in reports from the Ministry of Health indicating that 'nine individuals were injured, including two children, with three of the injured in critical condition.' Another Israeli drone launched a bomb at fishermen off the coast of Ras Al-Naqoura. Attention in the south is focused on two issues: observing the extent to which people will participate in the elections, particularly those whose homes were destroyed and displaced to other villages; and monitoring Hezbollah's ability to maintain its popularity in the south, where the devastation and rubble are still visible to the public. To date, no reconstruction has occurred in any facilities either north or south of the Litani River, because Israel has turned the border area into a devastated and desolate zone, maintaining its occupation of five strategic hills and daily thwarting any attempts to establish readymade rooms for logistical purposes to assist the affected population. The latest data from the Lebanese Ministry of Health, as of May 12, indicates that since the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect on Nov. 27, 'Israel has killed 156 individuals and injured 376 others, with a total of 3,138 air and maritime violations recorded.' According to the Israeli army, 'by the end of April, around 140 Hezbollah members had been eliminated, with the vast majority of assassinations (more than 50 percent) taking place south of the Litani River. Assassinations north of the Litani River and in the Bekaa region accounted for 48 percent of the operations; 33.3 percent north of the Litani River and 14.7 percent in the Bekaa.' The Israeli army claimed that 'the majority of the assassinated members belonged to Hezbollah's Aziz, Nasr and Badr units.' In a new study, the Israeli Alma Center stated: 'Those individuals were involved in the rehabilitation of infrastructure on the ground.'
