The site of the explosion in Tlayl, Akkar. (Credit: Fathi al-Masri/AFP)
BEIRUT — At the request of victims’ families, there will be no collective funeral for those killed in last weekend’s explosion in Akkar, state media reported.
Here’s what we know:
• Local mayors had planned a collective funeral for the victims to be held tomorrow, to be attended by Grand Mufti Abdel-Latif Derian, Lebanon’s highest Sunni religious authority.
• But owing to several reasons, among which were requests from the victims’ families, the collective funeral has been canceled.
• Instead, a public memorial ceremony will be held in the town of Bireh at a date yet to be announced.
• At least 34 people have died in the blast, which occurred when a fuel tank in the village of Tleil exploded in the early hours of Sunday morning. At least 80 people were wounded, with several still receiving treatment.
• At least five people are still missing, according to our sister publication L’Orient-Le Jour: Ali Issa al-Waari, Amer Mohammad Moustapha, Ahmad Saadallah Osman, Chaabane Ezzeddine Mohammad and Fadi Ghazi al-Cheikh.
• Several human remains found at the blast site have not been identified because of the extent of the burns.