Dec 10, 2020 - World

Lebanon's caretaker prime minister charged over Beirut explosion

Fadel Allassan

A helicopter surveys the blast in beirut. — A helicopter puts out a fire at the scene of the explosion at the port of Lebanon's capital Beirut on Aug. 4, 2020. Photo: STR/AFP via Getty Images

A Lebanese prosecutor on Thursday filed charges against caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab and three former ministers for negligence leading to over 200 deaths in the deadly explosion at Beirut's port in August, AP reports.

The state of play: Diab, who became prime minister last January, resigned in August after the explosion, but has stayed on in a caretaker role as the country has failed to form a new government.

Judge Fadi Sawwan also charged former Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil and former Public Works Ministers Ghazi Zeiter and Youssef Fenianos.
The explosion, which was caused by an ignition at a warehouse that had been storing 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate, killed at least 200 people and injured 6,500, leveling much of the city of Beirut in the process.

Go deeper: How 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate were stranded in Beirut

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Lebanon's caretaker prime minister charged over Beirut explosion

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