Methods and apparatuses for handling radio link failure (RLF) in a wireless communication network. A method for operating a base station (BS) includes detecting occurrence of a RLF on a backhaul link with a parent BS of the BS and transmitting to a wireless communication device connected to the BS a first notification of the RLF indicating to hold data to be transmitted from the wireless communication device to the BS. The method further includes determining whether connection to a core network entity in the wireless communication network can be reestablished and transmitting to the wireless communication device a second notification based on the reestablishment determination.