The Lebanese Army and the residents of Choueifat - Aley held a funeral for the martyr First Lieutenant Pilot Richard Saab, who was killed on August 23, 2023, in a military helicopter crash in the Hamana area. The ceremony began with tributes held for the martyr at the Central Military Hospital in Daro, where a detachment of military police and army band rendered honors. He was awarded medals for war, the wounded, and military commendation of the silver class, before his body was transferred to Choueifat. The Commander of the Mount Lebanon Region represented both National Defense Minister Maurice Slim and Army Commander General Joseph Aoun at the memorial service.
Brigadier General Omar Majlad, Commander of the Mount Lebanon Region, delivered a speech highlighting the martyr's heroism and dedication to military duty. He stated, "Destiny has decreed that our martyr concluded his life while soaring in the sky of his homeland, which he cherished since childhood, deciding to become one of its fierce guardians, joining the army as an exceptional and professional pilot, known for his discipline, ethics, and brilliance of thought."
The command also held a farewell for martyr Captain Pilot Joseph Hanna in the town of Dibl - Bint Jbeil. The ceremony commenced with tributes for the martyr at the Central Military Hospital in Daro, where honors were again rendered by a detachment of military police and army band. He was also awarded medals for war, the wounded, and military commendation of the silver class, before being laid to rest in Dibl.
The Commander of the South Region represented both National Defense Minister Maurice Slim and Army Commander General Joseph Aoun at the memorial service. Brigadier General Maroun Qabiyati, Commander of the South Region, praised the martyr's qualities and his commitment to duty until the last moment of his life, stating, "We have known in you the distinguished officer with ethics and discipline, striving for the highest degrees of excellence, a cultured and virtuous human being who exemplified integrity, and the devoted father fighting for his family, as well as the devoted son who was a source of pride for his family and his town Dibl."
