Beirut explosion: Interpol sending team to Lebanon to help with investigations

Interpol said Friday it would deploy a team to Lebanon to assist in emergency response and investigation into the Beirut explosions that killed more than 150, wounded over 5,000 and left many missing.

“At the request of Lebanese authorities, INTERPOL is deploying a specialized IRT to Beirut following the explosion that resulted in the death of more than 150 people and destroyed a large swathe of the city,” a statement from the international agency said.

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The Incident Response Team (IRT) is being sent, the statement, said to assist local authorities in their emergency response and investigation.

“INTERPOL’s IRTs are deployed at the request of a member country during a crisis situation and are tailored to the specific nature of the disaster or crime and the requirements of the requesting country.”

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Last Tuesday, multiple explosions at the Port of Beirut destroyed buildings and large parts of the capital.

Lebanese officials revealed that there were 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stored inside a warehouse.

The cause of the explosions is still unclear, and Lebanese authorities have opened an investigation.

However, Lebanese President Michel Aoun said Friday that an international investigation would be violating Lebanon’s sovereignty, rejecting attempts to internationalize efforts to find out what happened.

Lebanese residents have called for an international investigation, casting doubt over the transparency of any government work or institutions.