Doha: Qatar Airways has banned passengers flying from Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport from bringing pagers and walkie-talkies on board. This decision follows a series of explosions involving these devices in Lebanon, leading the country to issue a directive against carrying them on flights.
On Thursday, the airline announced on social media that the ban would remain in effect until further notice. The restriction applies to checked luggage, carry-on bags, and cargo.
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"Effective immediately: Following the directive received from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of the Republic of Lebanon, all passengers flying from Beirut Rafic Harirl International Airport (BEY) are prohibited from carrying pagers and walkie-talkies on board flights," Qatar Airways posted on X.
The Lebanese authorities on Thursday announced a ban on walkie-talkies and pagers for flights from Beirut, according to the National News Agency. This move comes after a deadly attack on Hezbollah that resulted in thousands of devices exploding. Lebanese Health Minister Firas Abiad reported that the death toll from the explosions, which occurred in two waves on Tuesday and Wednesday, has reached 37, with nearly 2,931 people injured.
These recent explosions have intensified the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which has been marked by deadly airstrikes and retaliatory attacks. The Lebanese Foreign Ministry described the explosions as a "dangerous and deliberate Israeli escalation" which it said had been "accompanied by Israeli threats to expand the war towards Lebanon on a large scale".
Lebanese internal security forces reported that several wireless communication devices detonated, particularly in the southern suburbs of Beirut, a known Hezbollah stronghold.
According to three security sources, the detonated pagers were the latest models recently acquired by Hezbollah. While Hezbollah blamed Israel for the explosions, no Israeli officials have claimed responsibility.
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Published: 20 Sept 2024, 12:14 pm IST
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