Lebanon PM Hassan Diab and his government resign after Beirut explosion
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Lebanon’s Prime Minister Hassan Diab and his entire government have resigned, after a massive explosion in Beirut last week destroyed much of the city, killing more than 200 people and wounding 7,000.
The Prime Minister addressed the nation at 6.30pm local time, telling the nation that endemic corruption caused the blast, which left 300,000 people homeless.
Diab said that not only was “corruption rooted in every part of the state”, but it was also “greater than the state”.
The government’s resignation will be effective from tonight, with elections expected to follow in the coming months.
“We need to open the door to national salvation,” Diab said.
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“We need to be part of the people. That’s why today I declare the resignation of this government. God Bless Lebanon.”
The explosion, caused after an accidental fire lit 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored at Beirut’s port, has caused days of violent protests and civil unrest.
The stock of ammonium nitrate had been stored at the port for more than six years, with many Lebanese people blaming government corruption for storing the explosive material at the port.
The country was already suffering from a protracted financial crisis and soaring poverty, before last week’s explosion.
The country’s currency, the Lebanese pound, has crashed by 70 per cent since last October and the country is facing a liquidity crisis, which has led to limits on bank withdrawals for locals.
Diab came into power just eight months ago, after civil unrest brought down the previous administration.
He was backed by a wide range of parties and groups, including Hezbollah – a terrorist-designated organisation in the UK and the US.