Egypt’s Sisi offers his Lebanese counterpart Aoun condolences for Beirut blast victims

CAIRO – 5 August 2020: Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el Sisi Wednesday offered his condolences to Lebanese counterpart Michel Aoun over victims of an explosion that hit a port in Beirut.

During a phone call, Sisi assured Aoun that Egypt stands by the side of Lebanon and is willing to offer any help for Beirut,

presidential spokesman Bassam Radi said that Sisi condoled with the Lebanese people and government and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

On Tuesday Sisi expressed his sincere condolences and sympathy to the Lebanon people over the huge blast that rocked Beirut’s port.

“My sincere condolences and sympathy to our brothers in Lebanon over the tragic explosion that took place today in the Lebanese capital, Beirut. We pray to God to speedily recover the wounded and inspire the families of the victims patience and solace.”  Sisi wrote on Twitter.

A circulated video on social media showed earlier huge blast rocking Beirut’s port, as two following explosions took place according to Sky News Arabia Channel.

Beirut governor Marwan Abboud described the blast as another Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The death toll of the blast that rocked the Lebanese capital Beirut has jumped to 78 killed and about 4,000 injured, Reuters reported the Lebanese Minister of Health Hamad Hassan.

At an emergency meeting held by the Lebanse Council of Defense, Prime Minister Hassan Diab said that 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate has been at the port for six years in a warehouse without taking preventive measures, without revealing if the explosive material is the real reason behind the explosion or not.

The council meeting announced a three-day mourning for the loss of the victims, while the Lebanese armed forces assumed the authority to secure all the vital institutions of the state. In addition to this, a fact-finding committee will be formed to investigate the incident,

News reports said earlier that the blast killed the Secretary-General of the Lebanese Phalanges Party Nizar Nigaryan. Investigations are being held to reach the reason behind the massive blast.

The capital’s hospitals announced the extreme state of emergency to receive all the wounded by the blast. Lebanon’s state news agency NNA and two security sources said the blast had occurred in the port area where there are warehouses housing explosives.