Lebanon suffered from a severe economic crisis at the beginning of 2019, in which the lira fell more than 90% against the dollar. The World Bank described the Lebanese crisis as the worst since 1850, which made the authorities impose restrictions on the withdrawal of deposits, especially on those deposited in dollars.
Withdrawing deposits became impossible for some, which made them resort to storming banks at gunpoint to retrieve their deposits.
The following are the most prominent incursions into bank branches during the year 2022, or as the Lebanese called them “the nests of oppression”.
January 18.. "Beirut and the Arab Countries" Bank stormed the Jeb Jenin area
Abdullah Al-Saei stormed the branch of the “Beirut and the Arab Countries” Bank at gunpoint while taking hostages inside. He managed to get 50 thousand dollars from his deposits, then gave it to his wife and surrendered himself to the security forces.
After his arrest since January 18, the court ruled in favor of Al-Saai and released his deposit under a 200,000 Lebanese pound bail on February 3.
August 11..Federal Bank was stormed in the Hamra area of Beirut
Depositor Bassam Sheikh Hassan held 8 people hostage at gunpoint for 6 hours, demanding his deposit - which exceeds $200,000 - in order to treat his father.
The depositor entered the bank with a hunting rifle after he poured gasoline all over the bank, then threatened to set himself on fire and kill everyone in the branch, before turning himself in after agreeing to give him only $30,000 from his deposit.
Two raids on September 14
BLOM Bank Beirut
With a weapon that was said to be plastic, Sally Hafez stormed a branch of the Bank of Lebanon and the Diaspora (Blom Bank) and took hostages in it in order to obtain part of her deposit of 20 thousand dollars, to cover the costs of treating her sister with cancer, but she managed to collect only 13 thousand dollars and 30 million Syrian pounds. .
Security arrested Abdullah Zakaria and Muhammad Rostom, who helped Sally in the storming operation, while she disappeared from view and stipulated to surrender herself the release of her assistants and give the remaining amount to her family in order to continue treatment.
Bank "Mediterranean" in Beirut
Ramy Sharaf El-Din succeeded in recovering his deposit, which was said to be 30 thousand dollars, after he stormed the branch of the "Mediterranean" Bank with an empty rifle, but the Lebanese Forces denied that he was able to obtain any amount, and indicated that he had only 7 thousand dollars after they investigated him.
September 16 incursions
Byblos Bank in Ghazieh, southern Lebanon
One of the depositors, accompanied by a person, entered the Byblos Bank and began threatening the employees with a war weapon that was said to be a toy. He also threatened to pour gasoline and burn the place in case he did not get his deposit, but the security intervened and he had to turn himself in after he got about 19 thousand dollars.
Bank "Lebanon and Overseas" (BLOM) in the city of Ghazieh
An armed man tried to storm the Bank of Lebanon and the Diaspora in the Tariq Al-Jadida area in the south of the country to recover his frozen savings, but the matter ended with his arrest.
It was said that the depositor - who was called "Abed Sobra" - is a merchant who is liable to be imprisoned for accumulating debts and demanding creditors for their money, and although he owns the money, the bank refused to hand over his deposit, which made him resort to storming.
BLOM Bank in Beirut
The depositor of the Bank of Lebanon and the Diaspora stormed and threatened to recover his deposited money, and confirmed that he would not leave until he gave him his money.
Bank "Lebanon and the Gulf" in the Ramlet Al-Baida area in Beirut
A man with a cartridge pistol entered a branch of Lebanon and Gulf Bank to recover his $50,000 savings.
Bank "Mediterranean" Chehim area
An armed depositor stormed the “Mediterranean” Bank in the Shehim area of Iklim al-Kharroub and took hostages there. The sound of gunfire was heard from inside the bank, but no injuries were reported.
Several storming attempts were made throughout Lebanon on the same day, including the storming of the two branches of “Lebanon and the Gulf Bank” in Beirut, one of them in the Hamra area, and two branches of the “Bank Libano-Française” in the Hamra, Al Kafaat and Al Mareijah areas, and from the last region the depositor left with 20 thousand dollars, in addition to To the attempt to storm France Bank and two branches of Bank Audi in the Ain El-Remmaneh and Chiyah area, with another storming at Blom Bank, the Concorde branch, and Société Générale in Nabatieh.