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Car bomb wounds six in Lebanese capital
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-03-19 08:28

A car bomb exploded in a mainly Christian eastern suburb of Lebanon's capital Beirut early on Saturday, wounding six people.

The blast had destroyed the first floor of an apartment block, blew out windows in surrounding buildings, and left a large crater in the road. Cars parked nearby were mostly wrecked.

A Lebanese rescue worker stands at the entrance of a building damaged by a bomb blast in eastern Beirut March 19, 2005. A car bomb exploded in a mainly Christian eastern suburb of Lebanon's capital early on Saturday, wounding six people. [Reuters]

"I was standing under this building and we heard a huge explosion and there was a big cloud of dust, and glass flew everywhere. We saw this car just fly into the air and land on the street right in front of us," said witness Rany Ayoub.

The vehicle containing the bomb appeared to have been in a car park.

Security forces and ambulances flooded the area. Hospital officials said six people had been wounded.

It was unclear who might have been the target of the blast, which occurred after midnight.

Lebanon has been rocked by political turmoil since Feb. 14 when former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri was killed in a car- bomb attack, for which Lebanese many held Damascus responsible. Syria denies the charge.

Syria, under international pressure, has begun pulling its troops out of its tiny neighbor after a 29-year presence. With the uncertainty left by the retreating Syrians, fears are rising that political tensions could spill into violence.

Analysts and politicians have warned that strains are evident in the precarious political, religious and communal balance achieved since Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war.

Christian opposition leader Michel Aoun said on Friday he hoped to end 14 years of exile and return to Lebanon within weeks, as soon as the Syrians had completed their pullout.

About one-fifth of the population and long Syria's most vocal opponents, the Maronites have dominated the past few weeks' protests demanding the withdrawal of Syrian troops.

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