Terrorism Hits Bear Hassan in Beirut: 5 Martyrs, More than 100 Injured

Local Editor

At least 5 people were martyred and 100 injured on Wednesday in two bombings that went off near an Iranian cultural center in Beirut's Southern Suburbs.

The attack claimed by the al-Qaeda linked Abdullah Azzam Brigades.
Reports said there were two simultaneous explosions in the Bir Hassan neighborhood in locations with a distance of only 100 meters.

They said the first attack was carried out by a suicide bomber driving a car.
The Kuwaiti embassy, which lies in the area, said none of its staff was injured in the attacks.
The Iranian Embassy said there were "no severe injuries among the diplomats and the staff at the cultural center."

The blasts also took place close to the Beirut offices of Iran's official news agency.
A thick smoke billowed in the sky when the blasts went off as several vehicles went in flames.
Buildings in the area were also heavily damaged as seen on TV footage.
At one point, the army opened fire in the air to disperse the crowds that gathered in the area and pave way for ambulances and firefighters to transport the wounded and douse the blaze.

The Abdullah Azzam Brigades claimed the attack on its twitter account.
The same neighborhood witnessed near simultaneous attacks in November when suicide bombers linked to the Brigades targeted the Iranian embassy.
Military prosecutor Judge Saqr Saqr tasked the army intelligence with cordoning off the area and searching for evidence.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam slammed the twin bomb blasts, considering them a "message by the terrorist groups to continue its plot in spreading absurd deaths in Lebanon."
"Amid the positive political stances... Terrorism once again hit Lebanon by bombing a safe neighborhood in a message that reflects the insistence of the evil powers to harm Lebanon and the Lebanese and to create sedition."
He noted that the Lebanese will "respond to it with more unity, solidarity, by holding on to our civil peace and supporting our army and security forces."

For his part, Industry Minister Hussein al-Hajj Hassan called on the Lebanese to tighten their grip on national stances and to confront terrorism.
Head of the Free Patriotic Movement MP Michel Aoun said via twitter that "terrorists were bothered by the formation of the cabinet after they became convinced that it would fight them."

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team