The former general director of Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces (ISF), Ashraf Rifi, is spending his retirement gathering Tripoli’s street fighters into a more formidable militia intended to defend the Sunni sect.
“Ahrar Tripoli” – that’s the name of a new militia under construction in the northern city of Tripoli, led by former ISF commander Rifi, who seeks to unite the various bands of fighters under the banner of protecting the Sunni sect.
Sources tell Al-Akhbar that Rifi started working on this project shortly after his retirement on 1 April 2013, with Saudi funding and under the direct supervision of the kingdom’s intelligence chief, Bandar bin Sultan, sparking the ire of many Future Party competitors who fear the former police chief being anointed the next prime minister.
The first sign of tensions over Rifi’s growing prominence came last September 10, when his men clashed with another group loyal to Saad Hariri’s security adviser, retired Col. Amid Hammoud. The fighting only ended after the mediation of yet another former army officer at the request of Hariri.
Nevertheless, Rifi continued his efforts to build up a united Sunni militia, with Hammoud agreeing to coordinate with the former commander, while at the same time working behind the scenes to undermine Rifi’s bid to control Tripoli’s fighters.
