SIDON, Lebanon: Oil tankers loaded with fuel at the Zahrani and Jiyyeh refineries are heading to Syria by sea, after protesters barred the way by land earlier this month.

Following a number of demonstrations during which protesters burned tires and blocked the roads of Syrian tanker trucks, exporters have started to ship fuel by sea from a number of refineries in Lebanon, sources in Zahrani told The Daily Star.

The sources said that an oil tanker, identified as Cosmo, docked at the Zahrani refinery at dawn Monday and loaded approximately 5,000 tons of oil on board. According to sources, the tanker, flying the Italian flag, will leave Zahrani overnight and head toward Syria.

Oil tankers heading to Syria by sea are docking at the ports of Tartous and Banias.

Protesters have either blocked or threatened to block the way of trucks headed to Syria in the north of Lebanon, in Tripoli and Akkar, as well as in the Bekaa Valley, to prevent fuel from transiting through the Masnaa crossing. People angry about the Syrian regime’s actions have also sought to block the way of trucks in the Zahrani region.

Lebanese oil companies have denied allegations that they are engaged in wrongdoing.

They also said that exporting Lebanon’s already imported oil to another country requires the authorization of the Energy Ministry.

The sources said that exporting fuel by sea has begun taking place in the past few days due to the impasses for tanker trucks on land.