Lebanon was locked down on Wednesday after Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport was closed until March 29 except for peacekeepers and diplomatic missions.
The Lebanese government declared a “popular mobilization” during an extraordinary session held on Sunday. The decisions included shutting down the airport and all air, sea, and land borders starting Wednesday until March 29.
This applies to arrivals only, and rules out UNIFIL and diplomatic missions, international organizations, cargo planes and staff of companies involved in oil and gas exploration on Block 4.
Before the airport’s closure on Wednesday night, the facility was almost empty.
Photos went viral on social media showing crowds at the departure hall, but it turned out they went back to last year.
Only Lebanese citizens are allowed to enter through the land crossings with Syria. They will be subject to medical tests and quarantine procedures.
The cabinet allowed Lebanese and their families, who don’t have a Lebanese ID or residency, also those who have residence documents in Lebanon to return by March 18 under the condition that they test negative for the virus.
This decision doesn’t include countries that Lebanon has banned travel to and from. They are, France, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Germany, Spain, UK, Italy, Iran, China and South Korea.
