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Lebanon: Judge Orders Seizure of MPs' Property over Port Blast

This photo shows a general view of the scene of the explosion that hit the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020. (AP)
This photo shows a general view of the scene of the explosion that hit the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020. (AP)
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Lebanon: Judge Orders Seizure of MPs' Property over Port Blast

This photo shows a general view of the scene of the explosion that hit the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020. (AP)
This photo shows a general view of the scene of the explosion that hit the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020. (AP)

A Lebanese judge on Wednesday ordered the temporary seizure of the property of two deputies in the case of the deadly explosion which destroyed Beirut port two years ago, a judicial source said.

"Judge Najah Itani has issued a temporary seizure order worth 100 billion Lebanese pounds on the property of MPs Ali Hassan Khalil and Ghazi Zeaiter," the source told AFP.

The decision was issued in the context of a complaint filed by the Beirut Bar Association to question the two for having "used their rights... in an arbitrary manner by filing complaints intended to hinder the investigation", the source added.

Compensation of 100 billion Lebanese pounds, some $66 million at the central bank exchange rate though far less at black market rates, is being sought.

Lebanon's currency has lost around 90 percent of its value on the black market.

Both Khalil and Zeaiter are former ministers whom the judge investigating the blast had summoned for interrogation.

On Thursday, crisis-hit Lebanon marked two years since the massive port explosion ripped through Beirut.

The dockside blast of haphazardly stored ammonium nitrate, one of history's biggest non-nuclear explosions, killed more than 200 people, wounded thousands and damaged vast areas of the capital.

After the tragedy, the bar launched legal proceedings against the state on behalf of nearly 1,400 families of victims.

However, an investigation into the cause has been stalled amid political interference and no state official has yet been held accountable.

Khalil and Zeaiter, of parliament speaker Nabih Berri's Amal party, filed around 20 complaints against Judge Tarek Bitar, forcing the investigation to be repeatedly suspended.

Politicians on all sides have refused to be questioned, and Bitar's investigation has been paused since December.

On Thursday's second anniversary of the blast, relatives of victims demanded an international inquiry.

Bitar's predecessor, Fadi Sawan, was also forced to suspend his probe, before he was finally removed in a move widely condemned as political interference.

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UNHCR Praises Saudi Support Amid Dire Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan

King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center distributes food aid in the city of Umm Rawaba, North Kordofan State, Sudan (SPA)
King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center distributes food aid in the city of Umm Rawaba, North Kordofan State, Sudan (SPA)
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UNHCR Praises Saudi Support Amid Dire Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan

King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center distributes food aid in the city of Umm Rawaba, North Kordofan State, Sudan (SPA)
King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center distributes food aid in the city of Umm Rawaba, North Kordofan State, Sudan (SPA)

A senior United Nations official has described the ongoing crisis in Sudan as one of the world’s largest humanitarian emergencies, yet also among the least funded. Less than 18 percent of the $1.8 billion needed to support relief operations in 2025 has been secured.

Mamadou Dian Balde, Regional Director of the UNHCR for East Africa, the Horn of Africa, and the Great Lakes, and the agency’s regional refugee coordinator for Sudan, stressed the importance of Saudi Arabia’s continued support.

He noted that the Kingdom’s contribution remains vital to maintaining life-saving aid, especially at a time when global humanitarian funding is shrinking.

During a recent visit to Riyadh, Balde met with key Saudi officials to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation with UNHCR. His discussions focused on supporting over 27 million refugees and displaced individuals across East Africa, the Horn of Africa, and surrounding regions.

He stressed that Saudi Arabia’s partnership, both through direct aid and international collaboration, has played a crucial role in sustaining relief efforts in the face of the largest displacement crisis worldwide.

Balde’s visit included meetings with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief), the Saudi Fund for Development, and Islamic development institutions such as the Islamic Development Bank and the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development. He also consulted with humanitarian and religious organizations like the Muslim World League and the World Assembly of Muslim Youth.

In Sudan, despite limited resources, UNHCR continues to deliver core services such as refugee registration, relocation to safer areas, and distribution of emergency supplies. This includes shelter kits, blankets, mosquito nets, solar lamps, and kitchen essentials, as well as medical supplies and support for survivors of gender-based violence and unaccompanied children.

Balde highlighted the scale of the crisis, pointing to nearly 13 million Sudanese who have been displaced in just two years, with 4 million fleeing across borders. He warned that displacement is accelerating, citing the arrival of approximately 2,000 new refugees daily in Chad due to recent violence in North Darfur.

With only 11 percent of the regional response plan for Sudan funded, humanitarian actors face difficult choices, often unable to reach all those in need.

Looking ahead, UNHCR’s strategy combines emergency relief with long-term development.

Balde stressed the need to integrate refugees into national systems, improve host community services, and avoid parallel aid structures, Balde told Asharq Al-Awsat.

For 2025, the agency and its partners require $1.8 billion to assist 4.8 million people, including refugees, returnees, and local communities across the region.