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Final reports set the number of casualties in the two bomb attacks in Lebanon yesterday at 43 deaths and more than 200 injuries.

Double suicide bombings hit a heavily populated area in the suburbs of Beirut yesterday. Investigations explained that the first bomb was due to the explosion of a man with a motor cycle whereas the second being due to a suicide bomber with an explosive vest.

The area bombed, Burj al-Barajneh, is known for being a poor and populated area famous for humble shopping sights and having mostly Shiite residents. The first explosion erupted at around 18:00 local time and the second exploded a few minutes later after the place became more crowded.

“LBC” local news agency reported four suicide bombers being involved in the twin bombings. The first blew up his motorcycle holding seven kilos of dynamite. The Second was wearing an explosive vest and committed the second explosion. The third’s body was found cut in half and dead in the explosion sight with his explosive vest yet intact and not blown up. Whereas the fourth was suspected minutes after the explosion while the post-explosion chaos was at its peak, and was accordingly detained.

No Hezbollah political or military base marks the area, to consider the bombs an ISIS military retaliation against Hezbollah. The suicide bomber’s target, rather, was a Shiite religious center, A Husayniyya, which had been crowded due to a prayer ceremony held at the time.

Al-Mayadeen news agency reported that the suicide bomber wanted to enter the Husayniyya but was halted by one of the attenders. The latter hastily held him after realizing he was a suicide bomber, which caused less damage from the explosion, and lead to his immediate death.

ISIS adopted the twin bombings minutes after they had erupted. They identified the suicide bombers by name, with two having a Palestinian nationality and one being Syrian.

The nationalities of the suicide bombers is a specifically sensitive issue in the Lebanese arena due to Lebanon being an inevitable player in the politics of both bordering countries, Syria and Israel. Also due to the very high number of Palestinian and Syrian refugees marking a substantial change in the country’s demographics.

Different Lebanese groups are active in both the Palestinian conflict, due to being at borders with Israel and continuously being offended by it; and in the Syrian conflict, where Lebanese Hezbollah is considered a critical military player in support of pro-government fighters.

The primary reason for the explosions according to ISIS twitter accounts is Hezbollah’s military presence in Syria. Another reason is its anti-Shiite orientation in general.

The explosion took place in the context of a positive political initiative, gathering opposing Lebanese parties in Parliament in the past couple of days.

Consequently, it was deemed by different local political parties alongside foreign countries including Saudi Arabia, Iran and the United States.

The bombs had hit the Shiite Suburbs after more than a year free of explosions. In 2013-14 the suburbs suffered a series of explosions committed by ISIS suicide bombers. All explosions have been adopted by ISIS and have been considered as reactions to Hezbollah’s fighting of ISIS in Syria. In the past year strict security measures have been taken by the Lebanese army and other security forces in cooperation with Hezbollah.

The Secretary General of Hezbollah Sayed Hassan Nasrallah had assured in many occasions Hezbollah’s continued military presence in Syria despite all bombings; explaining that ISIS shapes an existential threat to all factors in the region, such as Christians and Sunni’s with different visions, rather than just to Shiites.