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Beirut blast kills Sunni ex-minister Mohamad Chatah | Beirut blast kills Sunni ex-minister Mohamad Chatah |
(35 minutes later) | |
The former Lebanese Finance Minister Mohamad Chatah has been assassinated in a big bomb blast in central Beirut. | |
He was an adviser to the former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, a Sunni Muslim. | |
Four others were also killed in the suspected car bombing near government offices and the parliament. At least 50 people were injured. | |
The Syrian war has increased Lebanon's Sunni-Shia tensions. Lebanon's Shia Hezbollah movement is helping Syria's President Bashar al-Assad. | |
President Assad comes from the Alawite sect, a heterodox offshoot of Shia Islam. | President Assad comes from the Alawite sect, a heterodox offshoot of Shia Islam. |
The Beirut blast damaged several buildings near the Phoenicia Hotel and set several cars ablaze. | |
Dozens of people were reported injured. Reports say Mr Chatah's car was targeted as he was travelling to a meeting with his Sunni opposition parliamentary bloc. | |
Some of the Syrian rebel groups are affiliated with the Sunni Muslim al-Qaeda network. | Some of the Syrian rebel groups are affiliated with the Sunni Muslim al-Qaeda network. |
Iran, which backs Hezbollah, saw its embassy in Beirut attacked last month. | Iran, which backs Hezbollah, saw its embassy in Beirut attacked last month. |
Mr Chatah became finance minister in 2008. After Saad Hariri lost the premiership in early 2011 Mr Chatah served as his senior adviser. | |
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