BEIRUT, Lebanon, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- Lebanon, long plagued by impunity and a lack of accountability, marked the fifth anniversary Monday of the Beirut port explosion that devastated large parts of the capital. The day brought cautious hope that truth and justice may finally be achieved.
The investigation into the blast -- one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history, which killed 218 people, wounded more than 6,000, and destroyed entire neighborhoods on Aug. 4, 2020 - is reportedly nearing completion after years of delay due to political interference.
The painful memories of that day remain vivid, as victims' families have never stopped fighting to uncover what caused the massive explosion and who was responsible for the 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate that had been improperly stored at the port for seven years before igniting.
A separate investigation by the Lebanese Army and the FBI estimated that 500 to 600 tons of ammonium nitrate exploded at the port, raising questions about what happened to the remaining quantity.
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