MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The suicide bombings occurred in Beirut’s Burj al-Barajneh neighborhood, which is a stronghold of the Hezbollah movement — a paramilitary and political organization originating in Lebanon's Shiite population.
Earlier reports said that 41 people were killed and at least 200 others were injured in the Thursday attacks. The Lebanese Red Cross told NBC News on Thursday that the death toll was up to 43, while the number of wounded stood at 239.
The radical Sunni Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the blasts.
Hezbollah has been fighting alongside the Syrian government against ISIL and other radical Sunni groups since 2011.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon strongly condemned the Thursday attacks in Beirut, stressing on Thursday that all parties in Lebanon must work on preserving the country’s stability and security.
