This article is about the Lebanese security force. For Iraqi football club that once played under the name 'Internal Security Forces', see Al-Shorta SC. For the police of the de facto autonomous Rojava, see Asayish (NES regions).
The Internal Security Forces (Arabic: المديرية العامة لقوى الأمن الداخلي, romanized: al-Mudiriyya al-'aamma li-Qiwa al-Amn al-Dakhili; French: Forces de Sécurité Intérieure; abbreviatedISF) are the gendarmerie and the national police of Lebanon.
Modern police were established in Lebanon in 1861, with the creation of a gendarmerie force.[1] In April 2005, Ashraf Rifi became head of the ISF, replacing Ali Al Hajj.[2] Rifi then started to recruit younger members to become part of Lebanese Intelligence. His term ended in April 2013, and he was replaced by Roger Salem,[3] and Ibrahim Basbouss subsequently. On March 8, 2017, the Lebanese Cabinet appointed Imad Othman as the ISF director general. He took command the following day.[4]
The number of ISF personnel reached 30,000 by 2000 and grew to over 40,000 by 2013. The ISF National Day in Lebanon is on the 9th of June.[5]