On Aug. 4, 2020, hundreds of tons of ammonium nitrate detonated in a Beirut Port warehouse. The gigantic blast tore through the Lebanese capital, killing at least 218 people and wounding more than 6,000 others, according to an AP count.
The blast stunned the nation and a probe by a maverick investigative judge into the explosion shook the country’s ruling elite, rife with corruption and mismanagement. However, years of obstructions by top officials to dodge accountability and stall the probe have hampered hopes for justice.
Judge Tarek Bitar is the second investigator to lead the probe into the port blast. Most of the families of the victims rallying for justice have backed him, but senior officials have repeatedly refused to show up for questioning since the start of the investigation.
Several rights groups have slammed Lebanese leadership for not cooperating with Bitar, accusing them of obstructing the investigation. Meanwhile, a growing number of people have supported an international United Nations-mandated fact-finding mission which they believe will aid Bitar and keep the investigation moving.
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