Akkar receives first delivery of Iranian fuel

BEIRUT — The Akkar region in North Lebanon on Saturday received its first delivery of fuel procured from Iran by Hezbollah and then shipped to Syria and transported overland to Lebanon.

Here’s what we know:

    • A tanker belonging to Al-Amana — the gas station operator affiliated with Hezbollah that has been tasked with distributing the fuel — and carrying 18,500 liters of fuel arrived Saturday morning in the Akkar region, our sister publication L’Orient-Le Jour reported. The report added that the fuel will be distributed to bakeries in the localities of Haysa, Tleil, Sharbila and Akkar al-Atiqa.

    • Tleil was the location of a fuel tanker explosion on Aug. 15, which left more than 30 people dead and nearly 100 injured. Weeks after the blast, Hezbollah distributed financial aid to the families of its victims. The distribution, conducted through a delegation of local sheikhs and elected municipal members, was remarked upon as unusual given that Akkar, with its predominantly Sunni population, is known as a Future Movement stronghold.

​​   • Hezbollah’s fuel distribution comes as fuel shortages persist across the country despite significant price hikes and the unloading of several fuel shipments last week.