Lebanese Army discovers over 4 tonnes of ammonium nitrate near Beirut Port one month after massive explosion

According to the army’s statement, quoted by the agency, army engineers were dealing with the chemical.

At least 190 people were killed and 5,000 more injured when two explosions rocked the port of Beirut on 4 August, also causing huge damage to several parts of the city. 300,000 people were left homeless.

The authorities blamed the explosion on the unsafe storage of more than 2,500 tonnes of highly explosive ammonium nitrate in a port warehouse.

The deadly blasts triggered mass protests in Lebanon, with thousands of people taking to the streets to demand the government’s resignation. The tragic incident has aggravated the country’s economic crisis and added fuel to anti-government sentiment, forcing the prime minister and his cabinet to step down.

Last week, Lebanon’s former ambassador to Germany, Mustapha Adib, was named the new prime minister-designate with the backing of most MPs after being nominated by the Shi’ite group Hezbollah.

On 9 August, world leaders pledged nearly $300 million to Lebanon at the UN-backed donor conference.

Source: Sputnik