Truck drivers block Dahr al-Baidar road to protest traffic restrictions

Truck drivers blocked the Dahr al-Baidar road, which connects the Bekaa Valley to Beirut, on Monday morning, protesting the seizure of several of their vehicles by authorities and causing major traffic jams, our correspondent reports. Security forces quickly arrived on the scene and reopened the traffic road.

Authorities had seized several trucks because the drivers had not complied with the new operating hours imposed by the Interior Ministry. This angered the drivers, leading them to take to the streets to demand the immediate release of their vehicles.

Another sit-in was held shortly after in Chtoura, where truck drivers called on Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar and Bekaa governor Kamal Abu Jawdeh to reconsider the issue of the seized trucks and the situation of their owners. About an hour later, traffic on the Chtoura road was gradually restored in both directions, while another gathering of drivers took place at the Zahle roundabout.

In March, Lebanese authorities announced that truck traffic would be banned on the road linking Beirut to the Bekaa via the Dahr al-Baidar summit during certain time slots to ease congestion.

On Sept. 1, Interior and Municipalities Minister Ahmad Hajjar issued a decision amending certain articles of Resolution No. 1088/2025, dated Aug. 19, relating to the regulation of truck traffic hours in the governorates of Beirut, Mount Lebanon and the Bekaa. Under this decision, truck traffic is banned from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and from noon to 10 p.m.; Monday to Thursday, from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and from noon to 10 p.m.; Friday, from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and from noon to midnight; and Saturday and Sunday, from noon Saturday to 5 a.m. Sunday, then again from noon Sunday until 8:30 a.m. Monday.