Lebanese capital hit by suicide bomb attackJune 24, 2014 - 09:04 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A suicide bomber has detonated a car bomb near a Lebanese army checkpoint in the capital, Beirut, officials say, according to BBC News. The blast, which caused a huge fire, occurred in a southern suburb mainly inhabited by Shia Muslims. At least 12 people who were watching World Cup football in a nearby cafe were wounded but it is unclear whether anyone else was killed. Lebanon has suffered a rise in sectarian tension linked to the conflict in neighbouring Syria. Last week a policeman was killed and 30 people injured when a suicide bomber detonated a car full of explosives in eastern Lebanon. The latest explosion occurred just after midnight local time (21:00 GMT). Previous attacks on Shia areas in Lebanon have been carried out by Sunni extremists who accuse Shia militant group Hezbollah of fighting alongside President Bashar al-Assad's troops in Syria. But the incident comes amid mounting regional tensions over events in nearby Iraq, where the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isis) has seized large chunks of territory in the country's north and west. Last week, Lebanese security forces raided a hotel in Beirut and arrested more than a dozen men thought to have been plotting attacks in the country. Security forces have been on high alert since last week's suicide attack in eastern Lebanon. It was believed to have been an attempt to assassinate security chief Major General Abbas Ibrahim whose convoy was passing by at the time. Photo: Reuters Related links: Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Government reveals details from Pashinyan’s meeting in border village Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has met with a group of residents of a border village in Armenia’s northern Tavush province Narek Manasyan wins European Boxing Championships silver for Armenia Armenia’s Narek Manasyan (92kg) won Armenia’s second silver medal at the European Boxing Championships 2024 on April 28. Blinken urges Azerbaijan to continue negotiations with Armenia Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to continue negotiations with Armenia. Pashinyan, Blinken talk Armenia-U.S. ties over the phone Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 28, Pashinyan’s office reports. |