25 related to Beirut's explosions arrested: Lebanon's Presidency

Xinhua , Thursday 27 Aug 2020

Lebanon
FILE PHOTO: A general view shows the severely damaged grain silo following the explosion in Beirut's port area, Lebanon August 8, 2020. REUTERS

A total of 25 people directly and indirectly related to the explosions at Port of Beirut have been arrested, a statement by Lebanon's Presidency said Thursday.

"The most important is to investigate how this big amount of ammonium nitrate reached the port and had stayed there since 2013 until the explosion," the statement quoted President Michel Aoun as saying during an interview with Paris Match magazine.

"I, personally, am following up on investigations step by step and I will continue until we reach the truth behind these explosions," Aoun noted.

The Lebanese president said his top priorities are ensuring the transparency of investigations and drawing foreign support to compensate victims of the explosions.

Two huge explosions rocked Port of Beirut at around 6:10 p.m. local time (1510 GMT) on Aug. 4, shaking buildings all over the Lebanese capital, while killing at least 183 and wounding about 6,000 others.

Preliminary investigations showed the presence of 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate as well as 24 tons of fireworks, kerosene, methylene and nitrogen at the port when the explosions occurred. 

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