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Lebanon awaits justice 5 years after Beirut blast
BEIRUT GOVERNORATE, LEBANON, AUG 4 – The explosion killed over 220 people and left 300,000 homeless; stalled investigations face political obstruction but a possible indictment could come by year-end, officials say.
- On August 4, 2020, nearly 3,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate detonated at Beirut port, killing over 220 people and injuring thousands.
- This explosion resulted from improperly stored hazardous materials amid Lebanon's history of civil conflict and state crisis.
- The blast devastated Beirut’s port and surrounding neighborhoods, halting full operations and leaving housing and cultural sites damaged.
- Despite ongoing judicial investigations led by Judge Tarek Bitar and fresh arrest warrants, no senior officials have yet been convicted five years later.
- Lebanon continues facing economic struggles and political obstruction, while reconstruction progresses slowly and community resilience persists amid uncertainty.
100 Articles
100 Articles
Beirut blast victims struggle as leaders evade blame
Five years ago, one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history ripped apart Beirut's waterfront with a terrifying power. The blast, which many still refer to as "the bomb," was not terrorism, nor was it war. It was caused by issues that have plagued Lebanon for years, and still do: municipal incompetence and government corruption. Leila Molana-Allen reports.
In Lebanon, the explosion in the port of Beirut was remembered five years ago.
Lebanon: 5 Years Without Justice for Port Explosion Victims, Comprehensive and Unobstructed Investigation Needed
Lebanese authorities have yet to deliver truth and justice for the victims and their families five years after the devastating Beirut port explosion on 4 August 2020, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said today. It is imperative to conduct a comprehensive and unobstructed investigation that establishes the full chain of responsibility. The blast, which killed at least 236 people, injured over 7,000, and devastated vast swathes of the…
Beirut’s Recently Promised Accountability Sparks Skepticism
On the fifth anniversary of the Beirut port explosion, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun issued a recently promised accountability pledge, declaring that “justice is coming.” The August 4, 2020, blast—caused by 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stored for years in a warehouse—killed more than 220 people, wounded over 6,500, and devastated the Lebanese capital. Despite the scale of the disaster, not one government official has faced prosecution. Aoun’s…
5 years after Beirut blast, victims struggle to rebuild lives as leaders evade blame
Five years ago, one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history ripped apart Beirut's waterfront with a terrifying power. The blast, which many still refer to as "the bomb," was not terrorism, nor was it war. It was caused by issues that have plagued Lebanon for years, and still do: municipal incompetence and government corruption. Leila Molana-Allen reports.
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