BEIRUT: A number of Lebanese truck drivers crossed into Lebanon Sunday after being stranded on the Syrian-Jordanian border for four days, the head of Lebanon’s Truck Union told The Daily Star.
Naim Sawaya said that six truck drivers entered Lebanon through the Masnaa border crossing after being stranded in a no man’s land between the Syrian Nasib crossing and Jordan’s Jaber crossing.
Sawaya said that authorities have “lost contact” with two truck drivers while several others are set to make their way in to Lebanon within the next two days.
Ahmad Alam, the mayor of Seer al-Dinnieh and owner of eight of the trucks that were prevented from crossing the border, confirmed that six truck drivers have entered Lebanon and confirmed that authorities have lost contact with two truck drivers whose whereabouts are currently unknown.
Syrian rebels took control of the major southern crossing Wednesday night, a day after Jordanian authorities had announced the shutting of the borders.
Not mentioning that the area fell into the hands of the rebels, the Syrian government announced through its media agency SANA Thursday that the Nasib crossing was now closed and that any attempt to cross the borders would be considered “illegal trespassing.”
Dozens of truckers were stuck as a result between the two borders, and gunmen took the opportunity to loot the trucks as well as the transit area.
Omar al-Ali, head of the Lebanese refrigerated truck union, was cited by AFP as saying that between 30 and 35 Lebanese drivers and their trucks and refrigerated vehicles had been trapped in the border’s free zone.
Suspected Nusra Front militants were reportedly holding several Lebanese truck drivers hostage at a major border crossing with Jordan.
Media outlets Saturday posted a video allegedly showing a member of the Free Syrian Army with the Lebanese truckers, who said that they were “free from the abduction of [Syrian] regime forces.”
Contradicting statements have thrown the fate of Lebanese truck drivers on the Syrian-Jordanian border into confusion, with the number of drivers still being held in dispute.
No comments:
Post a Comment