Six years after Beirut port blast, victims' families say 'wound has not healed'

Families of victims of the Beirut port explosion gathered on Tuesday to mark the sixth anniversary of the disaster. They demanded answers and accountability, saying that despite the passing of time, they have not received justice. Hiyam al-Bikai, who lost her son Ahmad in the blast, said that "our pain has not stopped and our wound has not healed."

The Beirut port explosion occurred on August 4, 2020, and killed at least 220 people, injuring thousands and causing widespread destruction in the Lebanese capital. The blast was caused by the explosion of nearly 3,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate that had been improperly stored at the port for years, despite repeated warnings to the authorities.

According to The National UAE, a 2021 report from Human Rights Watch stated that Lebanon's State Security had warned the president and prime minister about the ammonium nitrate in July 2020.

The investigation into the blast has been repeatedly impeded by legal action, with lead judge Tarek Bitar forced to pause it for months. According to The National UAE, Bitar was finally able to complete his investigation and submit his findings in March. However, no one has been held accountable for the disaster, with several senior political and security figures implicated but not arrested, Al-Monitor reports.

Brief written by urgent.news from Al-Monitor, The National UAE — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.