Lebanon's Traffic Management Center reported a number of blocked roads across the country on Wednesday morning. (Credit: NNA)
BEIRUT— Land transportation workers, including bus drivers and truckers, launched a strike action this morning at 5 a.m. to protest the government’s inaction on promised aid to the sector, amid a climbing cost of living crisis for drivers.
Here’s what we know:
• The traffic control room reported that the roads cut within Beirut are: al-Nahar Intersection, Bechara El Khoury Intersection, Al Ghazal Tower road, Banque du Liban street in Hamra and Martyr’s Square.
• Drivers cut off the Tripoli-Beirut road at Palma. Shadi al-Sayed, VP of the Union of Land Transport and member of the Land Transport Union Mohammed al-Khair, along with a crowd of drivers, attended.
• This morning, owners of public vans and vehicles closed the international road at the Aley roundabout, placing vehicles in the middle of the road.
• In addition, a number of truck and van drivers have closed the road leading to Sur, Nahr al-Kalb highway and the sea route of Zouk Mosbeh.
• The head of the Truck Owners Union, Shafiq al-Qassis, confirmed that the strike would continue for three consecutive days, and that further measures would be announced if the government did not respond to their demands.
• Fadi Abu Shakra, a representative of the fuel distributors, who have suspended deliveries in sympathy with transport workers, said: "The status quo in the country cannot be continued, and our demand is the demand of every Lebanese citizen. Stop impoverishing the people.”