Skip to main content

Bombings renew fears in Beirut’s southern suburbs

Although the Lebanese in general, and the residents of Beirut’s southern suburbs in particular, felt relieved after security breakthroughs and arrests, their fears have been renewed since the Feb. 19 twin attacks in Bir Hassan.

Civilians run from the site of an explosion in the southern suburbs of Beirut February 19, 2014. A large explosion near an Iranian cultural centre in the southern suburbs of Lebanon's capital Beirut on Wednesday killed at least four people and wounded 19, security sources said. Security sources said the explosion appeared to have been caused by a car bomb and a motorcycle laden with explosives. REUTERS/Mahmoud Kheir   (LEBANON - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) - RTX1937S
Civilians run from the site of an explosion in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Feb. 19, 2014. — REUTERS/Mahmoud Kheir

The Lebanese army’s Feb. 12 arrest of Palestinian Naim Abbas, a leader of the al-Qaeda-affiliated Abdullah Azzam Brigades, led to great relief among the Lebanese in general and the inhabitants of Beirut’s southern suburbs and the Hermel region in particular. This arrest followed a recent spate of terrorist bombings that targeted those two areas. But the twin suicide bombings against the Iranian Culture Center and its surroundings on the morning of Feb. 19 dissipated this optimism and signaled the return of fear, caution and sadness to the southern suburbs.

The latest twin suicide attacks against the Iranian Culture Center took the lives of seven people and injured more than 100 others. Yet, no center employees were wounded. The victims were mainly inhabitants of the area, passersby and a few children from the orphanage of the Islamic Foundation, a well-known Sunni charity.

Subscribe for unlimited access

All news, events, memos, reports, and analysis, and access all 10 of our newsletters. Learn more

$14 monthly or $100 annually ($8.33/month)
OR

Continue reading this article for free

All news, events, memos, reports, and analysis, and access all 10 of our newsletters. Learn more.

By signing up, you agree to Al-Monitor’s Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. Already have an account? Log in