Lebanese try to storm energy ministry amid power cuts

Dozens of Lebanese protesters tried to storm Ministry of Energy on Tuesday, angered by prolonged power cuts as country grapples with a crippling ecomic crisis.

Security forces pushed back against angry protesters, chasing away some who breached ministry perimeter. Scuffles ensued as protesters pushed metal barrice and said y plan to set up a sit-in at ministry.

“We came today and we will stay" said an unnamed protester who re a statement to media, ding that y will liberate ministry “from corruption ... and manment that plunged this country into darkness.”

Leban's ecomic and financial crisis poses most significant threat to country since a devastating 15-year civil war ended in 1990. highly-indebted government is facing a rapid inflation, soaring unemployment and poverty, me worse by coronavirus pandemic.

Amid crisis, recurrent power out worsened as government failed to secure essential energy sources.

Leban has largely relied on fuel shipped in from neighboring countries and imported diesel for powerful generators cartel that provides for incomplete national grid, in shambles since end of war. For deces, country struggled with power cuts and a huge public debt for national electricity company that racks up a deficit of nearly $2 billion a year.

But rationing increased since June, and became so severe that residents reported only a couple of hours of electricity per day in some areas. Generator providers shut down ir machines to ration existing fuel and raised prices because of a plunging national currency. Lebanese turned to tritional kerosene lamps and candles while hospitals warned ir fuel stock was running out.

Leban's problems are rooted in years of mismanment and corruption. Nationwide protests that erupted last October subsided amid restrictions over coronavirus pandemic and widening troubles.

But limited protests have recently returned, particularly since prolonged power cuts in summer heat.

“We want to send a mess that we are t leaving here until re is electricity" all day, said Ali Daher, ar protester.