Charbel meets with Berri over security situation

Caretaker Minister of Interior Marwan Charbel said on Tuesday that he discussed with Speaker Nabih Berri the security situation in the country.

An explosion rocked the Lebanese capital Beirut on Friday, December 27, targeting the convoy of former minister Mohammad Chatah.

The sources added that the explosion was caused by a booby-trapped car, identified as a Nissan, which was parked only one hour before the explosion; however, in information made available to LBCI, the explosive-laden vehicle was identified as a Honda reported stolen from Lebanon in 2012.

The explosion in Beirut's Starco claimed the lives of 8 persons, including former minister Chatah, and injured 71 others.

Similarly, a powerful explosion shook southern Beirut, a stronghold of Hezbollah, on Thursday 2nd of January, killing at least 4 people and injuring over 77 others.

Two suicide bombers struck the Iranian embassy in southern Beirut in November in an attack claimed by the al Qaeda-linked Abdullah Azzam Brigades, whose leader died in a Lebanese military hospital on Saturday.

On another note, Charbel also noted that discussions featured high over the formation of the new government, adding that the formation process is "positive and does not face any obstacles."

Charbel hoped that the Lebanese leaders would form the upcoming cabinet as soon as possible to deal with the security situation in the country.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced the cabinet's resignation on Friday March 22, after talks deadlocked over the extension of Internal Security Forces chief Major General Ashraf Riff's mandate and the formation of an Election Supervisory Committee.

On the 6th of April, 2013, Tammam Salam, a Lebanese politician who served in the government of Lebanon as minister of culture from 2008 to 2009, was tasked with forming a new government.