No collective funeral for Akkar blast victims

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.