Bomb defused by the army in a Hezbollah stronghold in s. lebanon

The Lebanese army defused on Sunday an explosive device that was placed near a Ashura gathering in the predominantly Shiite Sidon suburb of Haret Saida, a Hezbollah stronghold in south Lebanon, according to report by NNA

“The army defused an armed explosive device weighing 500 grams that was found on the Haret Saida road,” National News Agency (NNA) reported.

Later on Sunday, the Army Command issued a statement saying:
“Following search and investigations, an army intelligence patrol discovered at 6:00 pm near the Sayyed al-Shohada complex in Haret Saida an explosive device consisted of 500 grams of TNT, a hand grenade and an electric detonator,” the statement said.

The army noted that the bomb was set for remote detonation, adding that a probe has been launched into the incident.

Security measures have been beefed up in the country ahead of the tenth day of Ashura, which will be commemorated in mass rallies on Tuesday .

Fears have been raised over possible terrorist attacks against Ashura mourning gatherings in the wake of Hezbollah’s participation in the fighting in Syria alongside the forces loyal to president Bashar al Assad against the mostly Sunni rebels who are trying to topple the regime

Security concerns prompted Hezbollah and AMAL Movement members to monitor security forces checkpoints in Beirut’s southern suburbs, particularly in neighborhoods where the congregations are being held.

The Day of Ashura is on the tenth day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and is commemorated by Shiite Muslims as a day when Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of Muhammad met his death at the Battle of Karbala on 10 Muharram in the year 61 AH or October 10, 680 AD.

This development comes hours after Hezbollah’s MP Nawwaf Mousawi credited Wilayat al Fakih for saving Lebanon from the Islamist militants.