Army Unveils Mobile Phone App in Light of Recent Instability

The Lebanese army unveiled on Friday a mobile phone application that will enable direct communication between it and the people given the recent instability in Lebanon.

LAF Shield, available of IOS and Android mobile phone operating systems, allows people to take photographs, record videos, or send messages linked to their security, announced the Army Command.

This way, people will be able to report any suspicious object or vehicle to the army, it explained.

People will also be allowed to report any crimes, such as robberies, kidnappings, border violations, clashes, or fire outbreak.

In addition, the app will help in efforts to apprehend fugitives and release hostages should any information become available to people over these issues.

Moreover, the app allows the army to communicate with the people, through informing them of its activities and providing it with useful information on landmines, collapses, and security unrest.

Emergency numbers, such as those of the Civil Defense, Red Cross, firefighting departments, and Internal Security Forces, among others, are available on the app.

The app is aimed at granting people the power to take part in protecting their country, stressed the Army Command.

The announcement of the app came in light of a bombing on August 15 in the Ruwais neighborhood in Beirut's southern suburb of Dahieh that claimed the lives of 27 people and injured 280 others.

Forty-five people were killed and over 800 wounded in a twin explosions in the northern city of Tripoli on August 23.

The blasts targeted the Taqwa and al-Salam mosques as worshipers were performing weekly prayers.