Lebanon Buries Dead in Migrant Boat Sinking That Killed 7

Mourners carry the body of one of the people who died when their boat capsized a day earlier off the coast of Tripoli, at the morgue of a hospital of the northern Lebanese city, on April 24, 2022. (AFP)
Mourners carry the body of one of the people who died when their boat capsized a day earlier off the coast of Tripoli, at the morgue of a hospital of the northern Lebanese city, on April 24, 2022. (AFP)
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Lebanon Buries Dead in Migrant Boat Sinking That Killed 7

Mourners carry the body of one of the people who died when their boat capsized a day earlier off the coast of Tripoli, at the morgue of a hospital of the northern Lebanese city, on April 24, 2022. (AFP)
Mourners carry the body of one of the people who died when their boat capsized a day earlier off the coast of Tripoli, at the morgue of a hospital of the northern Lebanese city, on April 24, 2022. (AFP)

Funerals were held across northern Lebanon on Monday for seven people killed when a boat packed with migrants sank over the weekend as the Lebanese navy tried to force it back to shore.

The small vessel was carrying nearly 60 people - many times its capacity - when the disaster struck Saturday night. The tragedy was the latest in a growing trend involving mostly Lebanese and Syrians trying to travel to Europe from Lebanon in search of better lives.

The navy rescued 47 people and some are still missing. In a rare move, the British military assisted in search and rescue operations off the coast by deploying a helicopter to assist Lebanese forces.

Among those laid to rest Monday were Sarah Ahmed Talib and her 4-year-old daughter from the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighborhood of Tripoli, Lebanon’s second-largest city.

"My brother and his wife are missing. We have seven people missing. And this is the funeral of the wife of my nephew and my nephew’s daughter,” said Abo Mohmoud, a relative. "The rest are still missing."

Women wailed from balconies in Tripoli as bodies were carried to the mosque and bursts of gunfire rang out in mourning. A weeping man carried the body of a child wrapped in white.

Dozens attended the funerals while Lebanese army personnel stood guard nearby.

The migrant vessel had set off from the coastal town of Qalamoun on Saturday night, Lebanese officials have said, adding that no precautionary measures were taken and no one was wearing life vests when the boat meant to carry only six people capsized later that night.

Survivors blame the Lebanese navy for sinking the ship, saying a naval vessel rammed the vessel while trying to force it back to shore.

An extraordinary Cabinet session was scheduled for Tuesday focusing on the boat incident and security situation in different parts of the country.

Angry residents attacked a main army checkpoint in Tripoli on Sunday, throwing stones at troops who responded by firing into the air. Some shops closed as angry men blocked several streets in Tripoli, Lebanon’s most impoverished city. There were no reports of injuries.

Since Lebanon's economic meltdown began in October 2019, hundreds have left on boats hoping for a better life in Europe, paying smugglers thousands of dollars. Many have made it to European countries, while others have been stopped and forced to return home by the Lebanese navy.

Several have lost their lives on the way to Europe over the past three years.



Lavrov: Moscow Maintains Communication with Damascus, Will Not Withdraw from the Region

Syrian forces stop a car at a checkpoint after taking control of the port of Tartus earlier this month. (AFP)
Syrian forces stop a car at a checkpoint after taking control of the port of Tartus earlier this month. (AFP)
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Lavrov: Moscow Maintains Communication with Damascus, Will Not Withdraw from the Region

Syrian forces stop a car at a checkpoint after taking control of the port of Tartus earlier this month. (AFP)
Syrian forces stop a car at a checkpoint after taking control of the port of Tartus earlier this month. (AFP)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reaffirmed Russia’s commitment to the Middle East, stating that Moscow “has not and will not withdraw from the region.” He emphasized ongoing communication with Syria’s new leadership and expressed readiness to support the political process in the country.

Speaking at a press conference in Moscow on Tuesday, Lavrov attributed Syria’s deteriorating situation to the previous regime, blaming its unwillingness to implement reforms and share power with the opposition.

“The refusal of the former Syrian regime to make any changes or share power with the opposition was one of the primary reasons for its collapse,” he said.

Lavrov noted that over the past decade, since President Bashar al-Assad requested Russian intervention in the Syrian war and the launch of the Astana peace process, Damascus had delayed advancing the political path.

“Despite support from Arab nations, Syrian authorities showed reluctance to move forward politically and sought to maintain the status quo,” he explained.

He highlighted Russia’s repeated calls for the Syrian government to engage with the Constitutional Committee, established during the 2018 Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi, and to actively work on drafting a new constitution.

Lavrov also pointed to economic challenges exacerbated by sanctions, which have stifled Syria’s economy, and US control over oil-rich eastern regions. Resources were exploited to fuel separatist ambitions in northeastern Syria, he remarked.

Moreover, the FM revealed details of Moscow’s earlier discussions with Kurdish groups, reiterating his country’s position that Kurdish rights should be guaranteed within the constitutional frameworks of Syria, Iraq, Iran and Türkiye.

He argued that the previous Syrian regime’s reluctance to engage in political dialogue resulted in stalled reforms proposed by the United Nations, Moscow and Cairo platforms, and Istanbul-based opposition groups. This inaction, he said, created a vacuum that ultimately led to the collapse.

Furthermore, he dismissed claims that his country’s withdrawal from Syria would signal its departure from the Middle East.

“Russia has not and will not leave the region,” he declared. Without directly addressing the status of Russian military bases in Syria, Lavrov emphasized: “Our embassy never left Damascus, and we maintain ongoing communication with the authorities.”

He also stressed Russia’s willingness to facilitate inclusive dialogue involving all national, political and sectarian factions, as well as relevant international stakeholders. Lavrov underscored that recent discussions with Türkiye, Gulf nations, and other parties demonstrated widespread agreement that Russia and Iran must be involved in the Syrian peace process if sustainable results are to be achieved.

For his part, Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister and Special Presidential Envoy to the Middle East and Africa, reaffirmed Russia’s focus on developments in Syria, describing relations with Damascus as a “priority of Russian foreign policy.”

Reports on Tuesday suggested that Bogdanov might soon lead a Russian delegation to Damascus. However, a Russian diplomatic source informed Asharq Al-Awsat that no date for the visit has been confirmed. The visit, which was reportedly postponed, would mark the first by a senior Russian official to Damascus since the fall of Assad’s regime in December.

Meanwhile, media reports indicated that Moscow is facing logistical challenges in withdrawing military equipment from Syria, due to restrictions imposed by Syrian authorities on the movement of Russian ships in territorial waters.

According to the English-language edition of RT, the Russian ship Sparta 2, designated to transport military equipment and weapons, was denied entry to the Port of Tartus, where Russia maintains its only overseas naval base.