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Lebanon blast kills at least four near Iranian cultural centre in Beirut Lebanon blast kills at least four near Iranian cultural centre in Beirut
(about 3 hours later)
A large explosion near an Iranian cultural centre in the southern suburbs of Beirut has killed at least four people and wounded 19, security sources said. A large explosion near an Iranian cultural centre in the southern suburbs of Beirut has killed at least four people and wounded 19.
The explosion in Lebanon's capital appeared to have been caused by a car bomb and a motorcycle laden with explosives.Abdullah Azzam Brigades – a group linked to al-Qaida – claimed responsibility for the attack on its Twitter account. The explosion in Lebanon's capital appeared to have been caused by a car bomb and a motorcycle laden with explosives. Abdullah Azzam Brigades, a group linked to al-Qaida, claimed responsibility for the attack on its Twitter account.
The area is a stronghold of support for the Shia political and militant movement Hezbollah. Iran's embassy in the same area was targeted by a bomb attack in November. The area is a Hezbollah stronghold. Bombers targeted Iran's embassy in the same area in November.
The officials – speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations – said the blast occurred on Wednesday morning in the suburb of Beir Hassan. Security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the blast occurred on Wednesday morning in the suburb of Beir Hassan.
Lebanon-based TV network Al-Mayadeen reported that the explosion took place near the Iranian cultural centre and the Kuwaiti embassy. The Lebanon-based TV network al-Mayadeen reported that the explosion took place near the Iranian cultural centre and the Kuwaiti embassy.
Television footage showed fire engines and Lebanese soldiers standing in the streets. A wounded man was carried away on a stretcher and a young girl was being taken to safety by two men. Glass covered the road and nearby buildings were damaged. Television footage showed fire engines and soldiers in the streets. A wounded man was carried away on a stretcher and two men took a young girl to safety . Glass covered the road and nearby buildings were damaged.
A wave of bombings linked to the war in neighbouring Syria has struck Lebanon over the past few months, killing and wounding scores of people. There has been a wave of bombings linked to the war in neighbouring Syria over the past few months, killing and wounding scores of people.
Radical Sunni Islamists have pledged to attack Hezbollah on Lebanese soil for its intervention in Syria to help the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, a member of the Alawite offshoot of Shia Islam, in his war against majority Sunni rebels. Radical Sunni Islamists have pledged to attack Hezbollah on Lebanese soil in retaliation for its intervention in Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assad, a member of the Alawite offshoot of Shia Islam, in his war against majority Sunni rebels.