Hariri Slams Dahieh Blasts, Says Targeting Civilians a 'Vile, Unjustified Act'

Al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri condemned Thursday in his name and in the name of his movement what he described as “the heinous terrorist attacks against our people in Bourj al-Barajneh,” after two suicide bombers killed at least 43 people and wounded 239 others in the Beirut southern suburb.

He said on twitter: “Targeting civilians is a vile and unjustified act that cannot be downplayed by any allegations.”

“Killing innocent people is a heinous crime by all standards, in Bourj al-Barajneh and anywhere else,” he added.

Hariri also expressed his “deepest condolences” to the families of the victims, asking God to “grant the wounded a speedy recovery and to protect our country from all evil.”

The twin attack was carried out by two suicide bombers who blew up their explosive vests in the Ain al-Sikkeh street. The army said the dead body of a third attacker who failed to blow himself up was found on the scene of the second blast.

The blast is the first to target Beirut's southern suburbs since June 2014, when a suicide car bomb killed a General Security officer who had tried to stop the bomber.

But prior to that, a string of attacks targeted Hizbullah strongholds throughout the country.

Between July 2013 and February 2014, there were nine attacks on Hizbullah bastions, most claimed by jihadist extremists.

The groups claimed the attacks were in revenge for Hizbullah's decision to send thousands of fighters into neighboring Syria to support President Bashar Assad's forces against an Islamist-dominated uprising.

Y.R.