The similarity of separate attacks in Lebanon recently could be a signal that the Islamic State (IS) is planning a series of suicide bombings there, possibly to pressure Hezbollah to pull its forces out of Syria.

People are mourning in Burj el-Barajneh, a southern Beirut suburb hit Nov. 12 by twin explosions that killed at least 43 people and wounded more than 200. Most of the victims were residents of the busy neighborhood on the edge of Beirut’s international airport.

“[It was] only a few minutes between the first explosion and the second [explosion],” said Ali Husseini, a local who witnessed the aftermath of the attack. Husseini, a teacher, explained the timeline of the tragedy to Al-Monitor. “We first heard an explosion and rushed to the main street to see what happened. As I ran through the alleyways, another explosion rocked the place. It was clear to me that I was heading into carnage.”

Claims that three or four suicide bombers had been involved in the attack circulated among people on the scene. Some rumors, however, were quickly discredited. An image was widely shared via mobile message that claimed to show one of the attackers, but an online search by Al-Monitor confirmed it was an image from July of this year, from Taif, Saudi Arabia. Several media reports suggested the evening of the attack that Lebanese security forces arrested one of the suicide bombers, yet these reports were later refuted. The only person who appeared on TV channels as an alleged would-be bomber turned out to be a passerby from the area who was deemed suspicious by security personnel. Some outlets even named him and claimed he was from Tripoli, north Lebanon.