Christian village targeted by suicide bombers in Lebanon

Chiqui Guyjoco Thursday, June 30, 2016

At least eight suicide bombers targeted a predominantly Christian village in Lebanon near the Syrian border this week, killing five and wounding almost 30.

A general view of the Saint Elias church taken in the afternoon, before four suicide bombers blew themselves up outside the church after a series of suicide attacks in the village earlier in the day, in the Christian village of Qaa, Lebanon June 27, 2016. | REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir

State-run National News Agency (NNA) reported four suicide bombers of still-unknown nationalities who attacked Qaa village in the Bekaa Valley early Monday morning that caused the deaths and injuries of 15 people. Another attack followed by the evening and wounded 13 more as the victims' friends and families gathered outside the Saint Elias church.

According to the Associated Press, an eyewitness who spoke in anonymity said the first four attackers already attracted suspicion as they entered the village before daybreak. They exploded their hand grenades when civilian guards called them out.

"It is clear from the pace of explosions that we have entered an episode from hell," Health Minister Wael Abou Faour told Reuters.

Governor Bashir Khedr responded by imposing a curfew for the Syrian refugees in the area as Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil previously called a ban on any gatherings among the Syrian refugee camps. The country is the second largest host to millions of Syrian refugees.

"No one can deny the reality that displacement will be used as a cover for terrorism," AP quoted Bassil as saying.

Reuters also cited local media reports where the head of Qaa local council urged people to stay indoors and shoot anyone considered suspicious.

According to Al Jazeera, Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV attributed the morning attack to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) terrorist group. Al Jazeera's reporter Natasha Ghoneim said ISIL positioned itself near Qaa as it fought against Hezbollah and the Lebanese army. However, the terrorist group has yet to stake claims on the attacks.

"Previously ISIL has focused on Hezbollah targets and the Lebanese military, so the big question to be asked right now - if ISIL is involved - is whether this marks a new approach; will ISIL be targeting more than just Hezbollah and the Lebanese military inside Lebanon?" reported Ghoneim.

"Either way, it is sure that it will raise security concerns here in the country," she said.

According to BBC, NNA reported that Lebanese troops raided the Syrian refugee camps and the Qaa Projects camp Tuesday evening and arrested 103 Syrians "for not having legal papers" and confiscated nine motorbikes.