In 2020, several tons of ammonium nitrate exploded in the port of Beirut. (archive image)Image: keystone
Troops from the UN mission in Lebanon (Unifil) have discovered several tons of ammonium nitrate – the highly explosive chemical that ignited in the Beirut port disaster six years ago – in an abandoned building.
July 28, 2026, 6:05 p.mJuly 28, 2026, 6:05 p.m
Blue helmets discovered about four tons of the chemical in 385 containers in an abandoned building near the southern town of Hula, the Unifil mission said. Hula is located near the Israeli border.
Unifil said they made the discovery during a routine check in the area. The material was made safe on site and the threat was eliminated. The checks followed expanded patrols and clearance operations in southern Lebanon, where unexploded devices continue to pose a threat to UN soldiers and civilians.
More than 200 people were killed and around 6,000 injured in a massive explosion in the port of the Lebanese capital Beirut on August 4, 2020. Large parts of the harbor and the surrounding residential areas were destroyed. Hundreds of tons of ammonium nitrate, which had been stored there for years without safety precautions, ignited in the port. The disaster will mark its sixth anniversary next week. (sda/dpa)