Blast in Beirut: Many injured as large and blast rocks city
Lebanese capital, Beirut blast had injured a very large amount of people and the cause of the blast is still unclear. Video shared online showing a large mushroom cloud and extensive damage.
A United Nations tribunal is due to issue its verdict in the trial of four suspects in the murder by car bomb of Hariri.
All are the members of the Hezbollah group – Iranian-backed, which has denied consistently about any role in the car bomb Hariri’s death. They are being tried in absentia and the verdict is due on Friday.
The second explosion was reported at the Hariri residence in the city. The Health Minister of Lebanon, Mr. Hamad Hasan, has spoken of many injuries and extensive damage.
The latest reports come amid political tension in Lebanon, with street demonstrations against the government’s handling the worst economic crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war.
Mr. Hariri had been one of Lebanon’s most prominent Sunni politicians and, at the time of his death, had joined calls for Syria to withdraw troops which had been in Lebanon since 1976 following the start of the civil war.
The killing brought tens of thousands of demonstrators on to the streets in protest against the pro-Syrian government, with the finger of blame for the assassination pointed at Lebanon’s heavily influential neighbor.
Within two weeks the government resigned and weeks after that, Syria withdrew its forces.