State Response 1st Half 2018

Similar to the second half of 2017, Baalbeck witnessed the highest level of conflictivity in the State Response dimension. While the majority of the State Responses were classified as Border Conflicts with Syria during the previous semester, most of these conflicts were related to Individual Acts of Violence during the first half of 2018, with state apparatuses arresting people over criminal acts such as robbery, shooting, and murder, among others. Still, this “shift” from Border Conflicts to Individual Acts of Violence appear to be related to the unsteady security situation in the caza which is often seen as a refuge for criminals and fugitives Therefore the heavy state response in this area, could be read as a response to the volatile security situation in Baalbeck, especially after residents have been protesting and demanding authorities take action.

Baabda witnessed the second highest level of conflictivity in the State Response dimension, with almost half of the incidents related to illicit trade of drugs. Moreover, most of these incidents involved the arrest of prominent drug dealers or significant amounts of drugs, and were therefore classified as Power and Governance - which has contributed to the rise of the level of conflictivity in this district.

The level of conflictivity in the State Response dimension significantly increased in Tripoli in the first half of 2018, compared to second half of 2017. This increase can mainly be explained through heavy security measures that took place in Tripoli on May 26, following an armed clash between the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and a wanted suspect, as they resulted in intensive Army raid operations within the district.