Armed forces retirees protest salaries ahead of cabinet session

Security forces fired tear gas on Thursday to disperse hundreds of protesters, mainly retired soldiers, who tried to break through the fence leading to the Grand Serail in downtown Beirut.

The retired members of the armed forces gathered at Beirut's Riad al-Solh Square to protest their low salaries and blocked the roads leading to the Grand Serail where Cabinet convened Thursday.

Some ministers were seen arriving at the Grand Serail on foot, as protestors tried to prevent them from reaching the session. The retirees demanded that their salaries be discussed in the session.

Cabinet will discuss in an extraordinary session Saturday the retirees' demands, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said after the session.

In the session, the caretaker Cabinet appointed Maj. Gen. Hassan Aoude as army chief of staff and approved the publishing of the 2024 state budget in the official Gazette.

On Tuesday, the retirees demanding better pay blocked the Karantina road with burning tires.

"Our demand is to live in dignity," a protester said.

All public sector employees, including the members of the armed forces, get paid in Lebanese pounds.

Their salaries have become too low to cover basic expenses while grocery stores and other businesses are now pricing their goods in dollars.