After years of calm, Lebanon’s Tripoli reels from 'lone wolf' terror attack
Following an attack in Tripoli that killed four, the Lebanese government admits that it might not prepared to confront "lone wolf" terrorism.
TRIPOLI, Lebanon — Scenes of chaos and panic unfolded in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli the night of June 3. An attacker shot at army soldiers and members of the Internal Security Forces (ISF) and threw an explosive into a government building. The attacks killed four and wounded many more.
The attacker, identified by authorities as Abdel Rahman Mabsout, had reportedly served a year in Lebanese prison between 2016 and 2017 after fighting with the Islamic State (IS) in Syria. No group has claimed responsibility for the Tripoli attack.
The attack took place on the first night of Eid al-Fitr, the holiday marking the end of Ramadan. Locals told Al-Monitor they struggled to find safety during the attack. In an audio recording sent to Al-Monitor, an audibly traumatized woman described witnessing the killing of a security officer in his vehicle. The attacker targeted three separate locations in the city before holing up in an abandoned building. He allegedly chanted religious slogans before killing himself with an explosive belt.
Tripoli residents remain visibly shaken by the attack. The city has been the target of violence by armed and outside groups in the past, but Interior Minister Raya al-Hassan said that this attack was committed by an individual acting alone.
