The Fifth Anniversary of the Beirut Port Explosion: President Aoun Affirms That "Justice is Coming and Accountability is Inevitable"

Today, the Lebanese people commemorated the fifth anniversary of the tragic Beirut port explosion, which claimed the lives of more than 157 people and injured over five thousand others, in addition to dozens of missing persons. In a speech marking this painful anniversary, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun affirmed the state's commitment to hold all those responsible for the disaster accountable, regardless of their positions.

Aoun stated, according to the National News Agency: "The Lebanese state, with all its institutions, is committed to uncovering the full truth, no matter the obstacles or the high positions involved. Justice knows no exceptions, and the law applies to everyone without discrimination."

The Lebanese president added in his statement: "On this painful day, August 4th, we remember together the fifth anniversary of the Beirut port explosion, that major crime that shook the conscience of the nation and the world, claiming the lives of more than two hundred martyrs, injuring thousands of innocents, and destroying entire neighborhoods of our beloved capital."

He continued, clarifying: "Today, five years after this tragedy, we stand before the souls of the martyrs and the wounded and their families, and before all Lebanese, to affirm that justice will not die, and that accountability is coming without a doubt."

Aoun also emphasized his personal commitment to holding the perpetrators accountable, saying: "I pledged to the Lebanese people since I assumed my constitutional responsibilities that holding those responsible for this major crime accountable would be a top priority, and that no one who caused this humanitarian disaster through negligence, failure, or corruption would escape punishment."

The Lebanese president reiterated that the state is working "by all available means to ensure that investigations are completed with transparency and integrity, and to continue pressing all relevant parties to bring all those responsible to justice, regardless of their positions or affiliations."

Aoun addressed the families of the victims, saying: "The blood of your loved ones will not be in vain, and your pain will not go unanswered. Justice is coming, and accountability is inevitable, and this is a promise I made to myself before God and the nation."

It is worth noting that the Beirut port explosion, which occurred on August 4, 2020, was one of the largest disasters in modern Lebanese history, causing immense destruction in the capital, and investigations are still ongoing to determine those fully responsible for the incident.