Six Years After Beirut Port Explosion: Lebanon Accelerates Disaster Investigation

Lebanese Justice Minister Adel Nasser announced that the investigation into the Beirut port explosion will be given top priority, promising that the case will be transferred to an investigative judge within 60-90 days. Six years after the disaster that killed 218 people, Lebanon pledges to advance the search for truth after years of delays in the process.

Lebanese Justice Minister Adel Nasser announced this evening (Tuesday) that the investigation into the Beirut port explosion will be given top priority by the Judicial Council. According to him, the investigation file is complex and large, and it will move from the general prosecution to an investigative judge within 60 to 90 days, and reach the judicial council before the end of the civil year. Nasser blessed the families of the victims and the Lebanese people, emphasizing that the explosion is not a matter concerning a specific group or sector, but a moral, human, and national issue. The disaster occurred on August 4, 2020, when a massive explosion shook the port of Beirut. 218 people were killed and at least 7,000 were injured. A preliminary inquiry revealed that a stockpile of ammonium nitrate, held in a warehouse under poor conditions, led to the disaster. According to foreign reports, the ship carrying the cargo sailed from Georgia and was supposed to reach Mozambique, but was detained at the port due to deficiencies and confiscated. The cargo was placed in storage and not removed for years. Later, it was reported that two Syrian businessmen were involved in the shipment, and that the cargo was intended to be used as a means of warfare, raising claims of Hezbollah involvement. The investigation file has experienced prolonged delays, including the dismissal of the investigative judge and the suspension of the investigation. Now the government promises to put the search for truth at the top of its priorities.