BEIRUT: The Baalbek branch of Electricite Du Liban (EDL) urged authorities Monday to intervene following a spate of threats against employees at the east Lebanon station.

“We urge for the last time all relevant officials in the area including deputies, parties, municipalities and mukhtars as well as security services to put an end to this matter, otherwise, and with regrets, on-duty staff will be vacated from the station once more for their safety,” a statement from the plant said.

EDL employees have complained that many of many workers at Baalbek’s energy station have faced threats unless they transfer electricity to certain people, and have accused security forces of neglecting to protect workers.

The station said Monday that staff were still being threatened and that “known individuals” had ordered them to make unauthorized power transfers.

“Staff at the central Baalbek station are once again facing threats from known individuals in the area, whether by phone calls or armed individuals coming to the station sparking terror in users of the service when they ask that electricity be distributed as they please,” the statement said, adding that over the weekend shots had been fired “over the heads of staff at the station.”

EDL employees, who have come under attack in several regions in Lebanon, have been calling on the Lebanese authorities to better protect workers especially after an attack in May on one of EDL’s inspectors, which prompted him to file legal proceedings against the violators.