July 2013 Beirut bombing
On 9 July, the southern suburb of Beirut, Bir el-Abed was hit by a car bomb that injured at least 53 people. Bir el-Abed is considered a Hezbollah stronghold.[2] The bombing was initially blamed on "Israel and its agents,” by both Hezbollah and Saad Hariri, (the leader of the Future Movement, the "Sunni party that is Hezbollah’s main political rival"), though other observers suspected this was to keep the Sunni-Shia peace at a time of Sunni anger with Hezbollah for its support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.[3][4][5]
2013 Beirut bombing | |
---|---|
Part of Syrian Civil War spillover in Lebanon | |
Location | Beirut, Lebanon |
Date | 9 July 2013 |
Attack type | Car bomb |
Injured | 53 |
Perpetrators | 313 Brigade of Special Forces (Free Syrian Army)[1] |
The bombing was later claimed by a brigade of the Free Syrian Army[1] while a spokesman for the Free Syrian Army denied any implication in the bombing.[6] A month later on 15 August 2013, another car bomb exploded in the same district, this time killing twenty seven people and injuring over 200.[7]
References
- Un groupuscule syrien peu connu revendique l'attentat de Bir el-Abed à Beyrouth | Dernières Infos | L'Orient-Le Jour
- LIBAN • Attentat à Beyrouth dans le fief du Hezbollah | Courrier international
- BARNARD, ANNE (9 July 2013). "Car Bombing Injures Dozens in Hezbollah Section of Beirut". New York Times. Retrieved 30 August 2013.
- "Car Bomb Hits Beirut’s Southern Suburbs on First Day of Ramadan". Time.
- "Car bomb explodes in Hezbollah neighbourhood of Beirut". The Guardian.
- Syria rebel group claims Beirut suburb blast| AFP| 10 July 2013
- Bassam, Laila. "Car bomb kills 20 in Hezbollah's Beirut stronghold". Reuters. Retrieved 15 August 2013.