Beirut Explosion; At Least 78 Dead, Around 4,000 Wounded and National Mourning

At least 78 people were killed and nearly four thousand were wounded in the Beirut explosion. The Lebanese government requested assistance from countries around the world. Iran, Turkey, the United States, Russia, Israel, Germany, and France expressed solidarity and declared their readiness to provide aid.

One day after two massive explosions in the port area of Beirut on Tuesday evening, August 4th, Lebanese authorities announced that the storage of 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate (chemical fertilizer) was the cause of the explosion.

Michel Aoun, President of Lebanon, wrote in a tweet that the accumulation of such a large volume of explosive materials without considering acceptable safety measures is unacceptable.

Hassan Diab, Prime Minister of Lebanon, also said in his speech following the explosion that those responsible for this catastrophe will not escape punishment.

Lebanon’s Supreme Defense Council held an extraordinary session on Wednesday morning, August 5th, under the presidency of Michel Aoun, the country’s president, and declared three days of national mourning and closure of government offices.

Mouane Abboud, Governor of Beirut, during his visit to the explosion site, compared this “catastrophe” to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The number of wounded is so large that it is said Beirut’s hospitals are unable to handle their treatment. The Lebanese government has requested assistance from friendly countries.

Mohammad Javad Zarif, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, expressed condolences to the Lebanese people by sending tweets in Arabic and English, writing that “Iran declares its readiness to assist Lebanon in every possible way”.

Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, said before the start of Wednesday’s open session of parliament that Iran is ready to assist Lebanon.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, has not yet shown a reaction regarding the Lebanon incident.

The Prime Minister of Iraq, in a telephone conversation with his Lebanese counterpart, announced that Baghdad would send an aircraft carrying medical aid to Beirut as a sign of sympathy and solidarity.

Gabi Ashkenazi, Foreign Minister of Israel, strongly denied “rumors regarding the possibility of Israel’s involvement in the Beirut explosion”.

The German news agency reported that even Israel, which does not have diplomatic relations with Lebanon, informed Lebanese authorities through foreign security and diplomatic channels that it is ready to send medical and humanitarian aid to the Lebanese government.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of Turkey, also sent a message on Twitter in Arabic expressing condolences for the deaths of Lebanese people in the Beirut explosion incident. Erdoğan immediately expressed his condolences to his Lebanese counterpart Michel Aoun in a telephone conversation.

The Turkish ambassador in Beirut said that the building of the Turkish embassy in Beirut is located near the site of the explosion and due to the damage sustained, they were forced to evacuate it, and two citizens of this country were also injured.

Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, declared readiness to assist Lebanon if the country desires it.

The German Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Berlin announced that the explosion caused injuries even at its embassy.

The German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, by publishing a statement on its Twitter page, wrote that the images seen from Beirut are shocking and employees of the German embassy in Beirut are among the wounded in this incident.

Donald Trump, President of the United States, while expressing America’s condolences to Lebanon, said that the United States has very good relations with Lebanon and is ready to help. However, Trump described the explosion in the port of Beirut as the result of an attack, adding, “It appears to have been a terrible attack”.

Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State, wrote on his Twitter account that America is monitoring the situation and the United States is ready to help Lebanon emerge from this catastrophe.

Emmanuel Macron, President of France, and Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, also expressed sympathy with the Lebanese people and declared their readiness to send aid. France has also sent several tons of medical aid to Beirut.

This explosion is considered the largest explosion in Beirut since the assassination of Rafic Hariri in 2005.

The German news agency wrote that this incident occurred three days before the “Lebanese Supreme Court” issued a verdict, a court under UN supervision. In this court, several members of Hezbollah in Lebanon are suspected of participation in the assassination of Rafic Hariri.

This court is scheduled to issue its ruling on Friday regarding the killing of Rafic Hariri, the former Prime Minister of Lebanon. Hariri was killed in 2005.

The residence of Saad Hariri, the former Prime Minister of Lebanon and son of Rafic Hariri, was also damaged as a result of Tuesday’s explosions.

Source: DW