Khiam municipality calls on residents to 'wait' for green light from authorities before returning home

The municipality of Khiam (Marjayoun) issued a statement on Thursday morning calling on local residents to wait before returning to their village, and on those in the surrounding area to await official permission “from the relevant Lebanese authorities.”

In its text, the municipality stressed that, while it “understands the desire to return,” “special circumstances” must be taken into consideration, including the fact that the place is still “invaded” by Israel, which is still present on the premises. The statement recalls that on Wednesday, the first day of the cease-fire, “gunfire” targeted people on the spot. “We kindly ask you to wait for a statement from the competent authorities, which will authorize entry into Khiam.”

This statement comes against the backdrop of the 60-day cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon which began yesterday, while Israel is prohibiting access to border villages in southern Lebanon and to places where its army is still present. In this context, tensions are running high in the town of Khiam, more than 5 km from the border. Yesterday, journalists were targeted by Israeli soldiers as they tried to approach the village, injuring two of them. During the night, machine-gun fire was heard in the village, which was also targeted by artillery shells.

In this context, the municipality's decision “is linked to the procedures to allow the entry of the Lebanese Army” into the area “after the withdrawal of the enemy from certain streets and places where they are still stationed.” “This will enable the relevant authorities to carry out a complete sweep of the area to neutralize mines and unexploded ordnance, and check for the absence of booby-trapped areas, in order to ensure the safety of people returning to their homes.” The municipality also stresses that it is preferable to wait until “the debris accumulated in the streets has been cleared, so that everyone can access their homes by car.”

The municipality of Khiam concludes by calling for caution and to take “the necessary time to avoid giving this barbaric enemy the opportunity to shoot or violate the agreement,” which has “enabled us to return to our villages with our heads held high, thanks to the sacrifices of our heroic resistance fighters.”