No Malaysian soldiers affected in Beirut blasts, says Embassy of Lebanon

The Embassy of Lebanon in Malaysia has clarified that there were no Malaysian soldiers who are currently deployed under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) affected by the massive blast at a warehouse at Beirut's port area.

The embassy, in a statement, said the blast happened in Beirut and its suburb and that the Malaysian soldiers of UNIFIL are based in the South of Lebanon which was not affected by the blast.

"No casualties were reported at the time being (involving Malaysian soldiers of UNIFIL).

"(The situation in Beirut) is very bad, catastrophic. However, we have not received anything official at this present moment," said the statement emailed to Bernama.

At around midnight Malaysian time Tuesday, Beirut witnessed a fire followed by a massive blast at a warehouse at its port, where explosive material was believed to have been stored.

The blast triggered widespread destruction across the city and left at least 70 people dead and more than 3,000 injured.

Malaysia is part of the Unifil for peacekeeping duties in southern Lebanon.

When asked on the kind of assistance needed by Beirut from international society at such challenging times, the embassy said donations of all kind can be channelled to the Lebanese Red Cross at a href="https://www.supportlrc.app/wire-transfers/"https://www.supportlrc.app/wire-transfers//a.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein had said all Malaysians in Lebanon are reported safe based on the initial report of the Malaysian Embassy in Beirut.

-- BERNAMA