Lebanon: Five soldiers killed during Hezbollah site demining operation
Five Lebanese soldiers lost their lives on Saturday during a demining operation at a military facility linked to Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, according to a military source speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity.
The blast occurred while soldiers were removing ammunition and unexploded ordnance left over from last autumn’s conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun contacted the army to follow up on what he called a “tragic incident,” which also left several soldiers injured.
The explosion took place between the towns of Majdal Zoun and Zibqine, in the Tyre district, the state-run ANI news agency reported. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam expressed “deep sorrow” over the loss, praising the fallen as “martyrs who died while fulfilling their national duty.”
The tragedy came just days after the Lebanese government instructed the army to draft a plan to disarm Hezbollah before the year’s end. Earlier this week, UN peacekeepers reported discovering a network of fortified tunnels in the same area, containing bunkers, artillery, rocket launchers, hundreds of explosive shells, anti-tank mines, and around 250 ready-to-use improvised explosive devices.
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