New sit-in by retired military personnel on Tripoli-Beirut highway

Two days after demonstrations blocked several roads in the country, a new sit-in by retired military personnel cut off both lanes of the Tripoli–Beirut highway, at the Palma bridge on the southern entrance to the city of Tripoli, as well as at Bhanin, reports our correspondent in the region.

The protesters are demonstrating against the deterioration of their living conditions due to the economic crisis that has hit Lebanon since 2019 and are demanding an improvement in their pensions and financial assistance.

"After the movement held two days ago and the announcement of the beginning of an escalation in our protest actions in September, the Association of Veterans and the Gathering of the Armed Forces Retirees' Movement have decided to organize protest mobilizations on Friday, Sept. 19, 2026, starting at 7 a.m., in the district of Tripoli," explains a statement from the retirees' movement.

A sit-in took place in front of the Finance Ministry building in Halba (Akkar), and in front of the Banque du Liban, our correspondent reports. The Association of Veterans and the gathering of the Tripoli committee retirees' movement offered their apologies in advance to the residents of Tripoli and its region.

They are calling on all retirees to "participate en masse" to express their anger at the "deprivations" they are facing in the 2026 budget, which "excludes all the demands brought forward by military personnel, retirees, as well as the families of martyrs and disabled people." The Parliament, chaired by Nawaf Salam, met on Thursday at the Grand Serail to continue examining the draft 2026 budget. The government hopes to finalize its review by the end of the week.

These demonstrations come as Lebanon continues to suffer the consequences of the unprecedented 2019 economic crisis. The Lebanese saw their savings blocked in banks and devalued due to the depreciation of the Lebanese lira against the dollar. While salaries have been partially readjusted since then and aid granted to military and civil servants, these measures remain largely insufficient, while inflation keeps rising. The draft budget prepared by the finance minister does not provide for any overall adjustments to salaries and pensions.