According to the National News Agency today, Thursday (September 14, 2023), “the clashes in the Ain al-Hilweh camp, in their current round, have ended their first week in the absence of solutions and the faltering of all attempts to stop the bloody events and their continuation in light of the repercussions of the crisis that Sidon and the entire region are experiencing.”
The agency noted, “These clashes reached their climax yesterday afternoon, Wednesday, with the fighting fronts and axes intensifying all at once, lasting until after midnight, stopping on the front of the Hattin-Jabal al-Halib neighborhood from the south-eastern side of the camp, and continuing intermittently on the other side from the northern side in the Al-Barakat axis.” “Emergency.”
According to the agency, “during these clashes, flare bombs were used for the first time in the skies of the camp, and new types of artillery and rocket shells were introduced, the sound of their explosions being heard in distant places in the depths of the south, which led to the outbreak of fires inside the houses located in the fighting axes and the targeted places, and a wave of displacement.” “Dense areas for residents, including new neighborhoods, as a result of the intensification of the indiscriminate shelling that affected them.” The agency said that the round, which was described as “the most violent, was renewed this morning on all axes, and its toll since its outbreak last Thursday is 15 dead and more than 150 wounded.”
The clashes that broke out on Wednesday evening were considered a violation of the ceasefire agreement that was reached the day before yesterday, Monday, which included handing over those wanted for the assassination of Fatah security official Muhammad Al-Armouchi and his companions to the Lebanese authorities. The clashes renewed last Thursday After a calm that lasted for about a month, following armed confrontations at the end of last July, which led to the killing of 14 people, including Al-Armushi and 4 of his companions.
On the second anniversary of the port explosion… Lebanon is still in pain!
Port explosion… a wound still bleeding
On August 4, 2020, a massive explosion occurred in Beirut. The authorities attributed the explosion to large quantities of ammonium nitrate stored in Hangar No. 12 at the port since 2014. The explosion, which is one of the largest non-nuclear explosions recorded in the world, caused massive destruction to the port and the neighborhoods near it, killing 214 people and injuring 6,500 others. Experts said the silos absorbed much of the impact of the explosion, sparing the city from worse damage.
On the second anniversary of the port explosion… Lebanon is still in pain!
The collapse of grain silos heals wounds
Although two years have passed since the horrific explosion, the sight of the destroyed silos still hurts the Lebanese to this day. Recently, a fire broke out, which officials said was the result of the summer heat igniting the rotting grain inside, which later led to the collapse of part of the silos. Citizens rejected a proposal to remove the destroyed buildings and insisted that they remain to remind everyone of the tragedy. The Lebanese view the explosion as a symbol of corruption and mismanagement by the ruling elite.
On the second anniversary of the port explosion… Lebanon is still in pain!
The first Ukrainian grain ship… for Lebanon
The suffering of many countries is increasing due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, following an agreement sponsored by Turkey and the United Nations between Russia and Ukraine, the first ship carrying Ukrainian grain left the port of Odessa, heading to Lebanon. According to the agreement, the cargo ship “Razoni”, flying the Sierra Leone flag, will first be inspected in Istanbul by the concerned parties, before continuing its journey towards its final destination, which is the Lebanese city of Tripoli.
On the second anniversary of the port explosion… Lebanon is still in pain!
The case of the ship “Ludicia”
As part of the latest repercussions of the Russian-Ukrainian war, the discriminatory Public Prosecutor in Lebanon issued a decision to seize a ship transporting barley, which the Ukrainian embassy in Beirut said was carried illegally from areas in Ukraine that have become under Russian control. The ship “Ludicia” flying the Syrian flag was detained in the port of Tripoli in northern Lebanon, while the General Directorate of Customs and the Internal Security Forces began conducting investigations.
On the second anniversary of the port explosion… Lebanon is still in pain!
Economic collapse does not stop
Lebanon is suffering from a severe economic crisis that the World Bank has classified as among the worst in the world since 1850, which has led to the local currency losing more than 90% of its value against the dollar, and the ability of the Central Bank to support the import of vital goods, including wheat, fuel, and medicines, has diminished. Since the beginning of the crisis, the Lebanese authorities have held part of the responsibility for the collapse of more than a million Syrian refugees living in difficult humanitarian conditions after fleeing the war in their country.
On the second anniversary of the port explosion… Lebanon is still in pain!
Bread crisis.. Is there hope for a solution soon?
In light of the economic crisis, the Lebanese Ministry of Economy raised bread prices several times over the past two years. The Russian invasion of Ukraine exacerbated the difficulty of the situation in Lebanon due to the cessation of wheat exports, especially since Lebanon imports 80% of its needs from Ukraine. Every day, the queues in front of bakeries grow longer, and the price of a loaf of subsidized bread (6 loaves) has risen to 13,000 Lebanese pounds, while its price has exceeded 30,000 on the black market.
On the second anniversary of the port explosion… Lebanon is still in pain!
Protests erupt
The Lebanese government’s announcement in late 2019 of its intention to impose a financial fee on free communications via electronic messaging applications such as WhatsApp sparked the anger of the Lebanese. The announcement coincided with the collapse of the price of the lira and the worsening of the bread crisis, causing thousands to take to the streets to express their rejection of the decision and their desire to overthrow the regime.
On the second anniversary of the port explosion… Lebanon is still in pain!
Resignation of the Hariri government
Despite Saad Hariri’s government withdrawing from imposing a financial tax on communications, protests continued. The demonstrations increased and the level of demands rose to the point of demanding the departure of the ruling class that had not been affected by fundamental change for decades and was accused of corruption and incompetence. In the wake of the demonstrations, Hariri resigned on October 29, 2019, while the pace of the financial crisis accelerated. Depositors’ funds were frozen amid a liquidity crisis in hard currency and a collapse of the local currency
On the second anniversary of the port explosion… Lebanon is still in pain!
The port explosion topples Diab’s government
On August 8, 2021, thousands of Lebanese demonstrated against Lebanese officials who held them responsible for the tragedy of the Beirut port explosion. The demonstrations witnessed violent confrontations between angry protesters and security forces, who used tear gas and rubber bullets. Later, a number of ministers announced their resignation one by one, until Prime Minister Hassan Diab announced on August 10, 2021, the resignation of his government.
On the second anniversary of the port explosion… Lebanon is still in pain!
Macron initiative
On the first anniversary of the port explosion, French President Emmanuel Macron organized an international conference to support Lebanon, the third in cooperation with the United Nations. France pledged to provide financial aid worth 100 million euros to Lebanon, in addition to half a million doses of coronavirus vaccines. Through the conference, Paris sought to collect urgent humanitarian aid worth $350 million.
On the second anniversary of the port explosion… Lebanon is still in pain!
Corona crisis
In February 2020, Lebanon recorded its first infection with the Coronavirus. The burdens gradually accumulated on the health sector, which was exhausted by the dire economic situation the country is experiencing. In the absence of government plans to deal with the virus and the succession of economic and political crises, the country’s epidemiological situation began to take a worse turn with the outbreak of the Delta mutant.
On the second anniversary of the port explosion… Lebanon is still in pain!
Successive crises
Due to the accelerating economic collapse, more than half of the Lebanese are below the poverty line, according to the United Nations. The Lebanese pound also lost more than 90 percent of its value against the dollar on the black market, while the prices of all materials and goods rose, to the point that the prices of basic foodstuffs rose by more than 70 percent in two years. The country is also witnessing a fuel crisis, a scarcity of medicine, and power outages of up to 22 hours.
On the second anniversary of the port explosion… Lebanon is still in pain!
The port issue freezes and a political crisis with the Gulf
On October 14, 2021, the situation flared up as a result of sectarian objections to the performance of the judicial investigator in the port explosion, Judge Tariq Al-Bitar, and a shooting occurred, killing 7 people. The case was frozen due to the influx of complaints against the judge by officials whom he accused of involvement in the disaster. In the same month, the Gulf states recalled their ambassadors and Saudi Arabia banned Lebanese imports in protest against the statements of the Minister of Information at the time, George Qardahi, due to the war in Yemen.
On the second anniversary of the port explosion… Lebanon is still in pain!
Health concerns about the impact of new fires
As the fires returned to the destroyed grain silos, the Beirut sky glowed orange in the dark of the night inside a port that still resembled a disaster area, amid expectations of more collapses, not in buildings alone but in various sectors. Health and environmental experts recommended that residents of the area near the silos wear special masks to protect against the effects of burning rotten grains and the germs they carry. When will Lebanon emerge from its crises? Prepared by: Imad Hassan/Iman Malouk
2023-09-14 08:13:41
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