Photos, Lebanon – A number of Lebanese army personnel were killed. Others were injured on Saturday in an explosion in the south of the country.
The Lebanese News Agency reported: “Unexploded ordnance left over from the Israeli aggression on the south exploded by a Lebanese army engineering team. This happened while dismantling some shells in the area between the town of Majdalazoun and Zebqin, Tyre District. Information about injuries, including deaths, was reported”.
Agence France-Presse quoted a military source as saying that 5 members of the Lebanese army were killed. This occurred “in an explosion inside a Hezbollah facility”.
Government positions:
The Lebanese presidency said in a statement: “President Aoun was informed by Army Commander General Rudolf Heikal. He was told of the circumstances of the explosion of ammunition in an army unit in the Tyre area. Furthermore, he was informed about the killing and wounding of a number of its members.”
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam commented on the incident, saying: “Lebanon is carrying with great pain the sons of our valiant army who rose in the south. They were performing their national duty.”
He added: “All of Lebanon, state and people, bow in reverence to their sacrifices and their pure blood. This reaffirms that our army is the valve of safety. It is the fortress of sovereignty, and the protector of the unity of the nation and its legitimate institutions”. May God have mercy on our heroes.
Lebanese affairs specialists said that this incident is not the first that the Lebanese army has been exposed to. Previous incidents occurred during the dismantling of remnants of the war with Israel. He added, “While the army was transporting ammunition from the remnants of the last war, these ammunition exploded, leading to casualties. This accident cannot be said to be planned. Rather, it was an accidental accident.”
