The Syrian private airline of Cham Wings announced on Saturday that it decided to launch direct flights between Damascus and Beirut amid the wave of protests in Lebanon
DAMASCUS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th October, 2019) The Syrian private airline of Cham Wings announced on Saturday that it decided to launch direct flights between Damascus and Beirut amid the wave of protests in Lebanon.Earlier it was possible to reach Damascus from Beirut only via interchange flights, which took at least 3.5 hours. It was much quicker to do the journey by car or bus, but the road connecting the two capitals is currently blocked by the protesters.
"We announce the launch of direct daily flights between Damascus and Beirut, starting from Saturday," the airline wrote on its Twitter page.
Since Thursday, Beirut and other cities in Lebanon have been gripped by protests with the demonstrators demanding that the government resign and action be taken to cope with the worsening economic situation amid a financial blockade and sanctions. The protesters blocked off major highways. In central Beirut, the rallies turned violent as the demonstrators threw Molotov cocktails at police, while the security forces resorted to stun grenades, rubber bullets and tear gas.
The rallies erupted as the government sought to raise additional funds by introducing a $6 monthly tax on online calls made via WhatsApp and other mobile applications. The tax was abandoned as the protests gained momentum. However, the rallies continued with dozens of people injured in the clashes between the security forces and the protesters.
