TRIPOLI, Lebanon: Relatives of captive soldiers and policemen held by jihadist militants blocked the northern highway linking Beirut with Tripoli Wednesday, in fresh protests to press the government to free the hostages.
The protesters used bulldozers to install cement blocks across the highway in the area of Qalamoun, a few kilometers south of Tripoli, signaling that they intend to keep the road blocked indefinitely.
The families on several occasions would shut the Qalamoun road for several hours before reopening it.
Wednesday actions came two days after the families gave the government a 48-hour deadline to show them progress in the case before cutting roads.
Security sources told The Daily Star that the captives’ families decided to step up their protest by cutting off roads across the country, over what they perceive to be procrastination by the government to end the ordeal and bring back their loved ones.
Roads across Lebanon, including the vital Dahr al-Baidar highway linking Beirut with the country’s eastern Bekaa valley, would be cut starting at 3 p.m. Wednesday to express the families’ anger and frustration over the government’s handling of the captives issue, the protesters said.
Northbound traffic was in the meantime redirected towards the coastal road which the protesters threatened to cut off in the afternoon, which would completely isolate the northern part of the country.
The families had blocked Dahr al-Baidar for several weeks since the servicemen were captured by Nusra Front and ISIS during clashed with the Army in the border town of Arsal in early August.
They reopened the road, which is a lifeline for the fertile Bekaa valley, two weeks ago after receiving guarantees that the government was seriously considering a deal to swap Islamist prisoners with the captors.
The jihadist militants still detain 27 personnel after they had executed three soldiers and released seven.
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