Lebanon, new attacks in the Christian town near the Syrian border, eight injured
Three suicide bombers struck in the evening the center of al-Qaa; one of them blew himself up in front of the church, two others near the municipality. In the morning four bombers caused nine victims. Clashes between army and jihadists in the suburbs. Terrorists wanted to strike a symbol of coexistence between Christians and Muslims, priest says. Patriarch Rai appealed for restraint.
Beirut (AsiaNews) - Fresh suicide bombings rocked the eastern border town of al-Qaa on Monday evening, injuring eight people, only hours after four suicide bombers killed five people and wounded 15 others in the town before dawn. In the latest violence, three suicide bombers riding motorcycles blew themselves up in the center of the predominantly Christian town.
One struck in front of a church and the two others in front of the municipality building, the source added.
Lebanese Red Cross chief George Kettaneh said eight people were lightly wounded in the evening bombings.
"Clashes are ongoing on the outskirts of the village between the Lebanese army and armed groups," a security source said. Military sources confirmed to LBCI television that four blasts rocked al-Qaa in the evening and that no one was killed other than the attackers. The statement added that the [morning] attackers were wearing explosives belts that weighed two kilograms each.
Reached by L'Orient-le Jour (Loj) p. Elian Nasrallah, parish priest in al-Qaa, is not surprised by the attacks, since terrorist groups "operating in the area” for the last “four years”. For the priest, the goal of jihadist groups is to "drive out the inhabitants" to "take control" of an area which is an "example of peaceful coexistence" between Christians and Muslims.
Al-Qaa is one of several border posts separating Lebanon and war-torn Syria. The border area has been rocked by clashes and shelling since Syria's conflict erupted in 2011.
Sectarian tensions in Lebanon have been stoked by the civil war in Syria. Lebanon's army has fought off jihadist factions along the frontier and has sought to clamp down on local cells operating in the area.
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi urged unity in the wake of the deadly suicide blasts that rocked the eastern border town of al-Qaa, calling on Lebanese officials to “spare Lebanon more tragedies.”
On a pastoral visit to the United States, the patriarch expressed his “extreme sorrow over the bombings that the hand of terror carried out once again on Lebanon's soil and in the dear town of al-Qaa.”
“It is a town of peace, love and coexistence and its sons have once again rescued the lives of a lot of innocents,” he added.
Calling on citizens to “return to their national unity and solidarity to confront the terrorist schemes that are being plotted against Lebanon,” al-Rahi urged Lebanese officials to “shoulder their national responsibilities in order to spare Lebanon more tragedies.”
The patriarch also saluted the army and the security forces, urging “further support for them at all levels.”
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30/06/2016 09:03
10/10/2017 09:43
