|
At least five dead in blast near Beirut: sources |
|
|
Written by Reuters - Tayyar
|
Brig. Gen. Francois Hajj, director of operations for the Lebanese Army and Candidate to replace Suleiman as Army Chief, was killed in the explosion that rocked Baabda.
At least five people were killed and dozens were wounded in an explosion in a Lebanese Christian town east of Beirut on Wednesday, security sources said.
(more Pictures Inside)
The blast was in Baabda, the site of Lebanon's presidential palace on the outskirts of the capital. One source said it was caused by an explosive device.
Witnesses said several cars were ablaze and dozens of people were wounded in the explosion, which occurred early in the morning.
On Monday, Lebanon's parliament speaker postponed a presidential election to December 17, the 8th delay of a vote repeatedly put off over differences between the anti-Syrian governing coalition and the opposition backed by Damascus.
The feuding camps agreed last week on General Michel Suleiman, a Maronite Christian, as a consensus candidate for the post, which has been vacant since November 24 after the term of Emile Lahoud ended.
Electing Suleiman would ease Lebanon's worst political crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war. His nomination followed intense French-led mediation to resolve the crisis.
Arab and Western states have expressed concern that a prolonged vacuum in the presidency could further destabilize Lebanon, which has seen some sporadic deadly sectarian clashes earlier this year.
Lebanon has also seen several assassinations of anti-Syrian figures since the killing of former prime minister Rafik al-Hariri in February 2005. Most recently Christian lawmaker Antoine Ghanem was killed in a car bomb attack in September.
(Reporting by Nadim Ladki; Writing by Michael Winfrey)
|
