PHOTO: Scene of Thursday’s bombings in southern Beirut (Hasan Shaaban/Reuters)
The Islamic State has claimed Thursday’s double suicide bombing in Lebanon which killed at least 43 people and injured 239 others.
ISIS said in a statement that the aim of the attack was to kill Shia Muslims.
The bombs were detonated in the Burj al-Barajeh district of southern Beirut during rush hour after sunset prayerss. The first bomber parked an explosives-laden motorcycle. Minutes later, a second bomber detonated his suicide vest, as people gathered after the first attack. The Lebanese army said a third suicide bomber died before he could detonate his vest.
Local media said two attackers were Palestinians and one Syrian.
Footage of the attacks (Warning — Graphic images):
The Government declared Friday a day of national mourning, with all schools and universities closed.
There were a series of bombings in the nearby Dahiyeh area in summer 2013. On July 9, 53 people were wounded after a bomb exploded in a busy shopping street. On August 15, at least 21 people were killed and 200 injured by a massive car bomb.
The attacks were claimed by organisations such as Al Qa’eda’s affiliates Abdullah Azzam Brigades and Jabhat al-Nusra.
