Bomb in Hezbollah stronghold injures 53
Source: Agencies |
July 10, 2013, Wednesday
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A car bomb rocked a stronghold of the Shiite militant Hezbollah group south of the Lebanese capital yesterday, wounding at least 53 people and setting cars ablaze.
This represents the most serious knock-on effect from Syria's civil war on its smaller neighbor since that crisis began.
The blast struck a commercial and residential neighborhood as many Lebanese Shiite Muslims began observing the holy month of Ramadan.
While there was no immediate claim of responsibility, there have been growing fears in Lebanon that Hezbollah could face retaliation for fighting alongside President Bashar Assad's troops inside Syria.
The bombing also is likely to inflame already simmering tensions in Lebanon itself, where deadly clashes between Shiites and Sunnis have grown increasingly common as the civil war in Syria has taken on ever darker sectarian overtones. Some Sunnis in Lebanon have expressed resentment over what they see as Hezbollah's unchecked power in the country.
The blast struck the area of Beir el-Abed, and was most likely caused by a car bomb, officials said. They said it went off in the parking lot near a supermarket and petrol station.
Health Minister Ali Hassan Khalil said 53 people were wounded. He said most of injuries were light.
"This (blast) is a message, but we will not bow," said Ziad Waked, a municipal official speaking to Hezbollah's Al-Manar television.
After the bombing, a group of about 100 Hezbollah supporters stormed through the area chanting sectarian slogans.
This represents the most serious knock-on effect from Syria's civil war on its smaller neighbor since that crisis began.
The blast struck a commercial and residential neighborhood as many Lebanese Shiite Muslims began observing the holy month of Ramadan.
While there was no immediate claim of responsibility, there have been growing fears in Lebanon that Hezbollah could face retaliation for fighting alongside President Bashar Assad's troops inside Syria.
The bombing also is likely to inflame already simmering tensions in Lebanon itself, where deadly clashes between Shiites and Sunnis have grown increasingly common as the civil war in Syria has taken on ever darker sectarian overtones. Some Sunnis in Lebanon have expressed resentment over what they see as Hezbollah's unchecked power in the country.
The blast struck the area of Beir el-Abed, and was most likely caused by a car bomb, officials said. They said it went off in the parking lot near a supermarket and petrol station.
Health Minister Ali Hassan Khalil said 53 people were wounded. He said most of injuries were light.
"This (blast) is a message, but we will not bow," said Ziad Waked, a municipal official speaking to Hezbollah's Al-Manar television.
After the bombing, a group of about 100 Hezbollah supporters stormed through the area chanting sectarian slogans.
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