Bombs blasts rock Tripoli, Lebanon. Image from France 24
Two explosions have rocked the city of Tripoli in northern Lebanon killing at least 27 and more than 350.
The bombs targeted two mosques in the city after Friday prayers, the first hitting al-Taqwa mosque, with the second hitting al-Salam mosque five minutes later.
The ongoing civil war in neighbouring Syria has raised sectarian tensions between the Sunni and Alawite communities, especially since Hezbollah joined Assad’s forces within Syria.
The target of the first blast is believed to be Sunni cleric Sheikh Salem Rafii who has opposed hezbollah’s involvement in the Syrian conflict. Raffi was inside the mosque when the bomb was detonated, but he was unharmed in the blast.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, with the blasts condemned by a wide array of actors. Hezbollah denied responsibility in a statement, saying:
“These twin terrorist explosions are part of a criminal plan aiming to plant the seeds of strife between Lebanese and drag them into fighting under the banner of confessionalism and sectarianism”
These attacks on Sunni places of worship follow recent attacks on Shia strongholds within the country in the last few months, as the violence has escalated in a country that is still rebuilding trust after its own sectarian civil war between 1975 and 1990.
1 Comment
Hi,
Lebanon: Two Explosions in Tripoli Kill At Least 27. This is ominous, Lebanon is Syria’s Switzerland where most of their financial deals are accomplished.