Four injured in explosion near UN headquarters in Beirut

At least four Lebanese civilians were slightly wounded when an anti-tank rocket exploded outside a building near the United Nations headquarters in Beirut early Sunday, security sources said.

Unknown militants fired three (rocket propelled grenade) RPG rockets at a building near Riad Solh Square in central Beirut at around 2:30 a.m. (2330 GMT Saturday), the sources said, adding that four civilians were slightly wounded by one of the rockets.

Witnesses said that police and army troops ringed the area and an investigation was under way, adding that the injured, who are all believed to civilians, have been taken to a hospital for treatment.

The other two rockets, one of which exploded in the air and the other about 20 meters away from the UN offices, did not cause any casualties.

Some local press reported that six civilians were injured in the attack.

It was the first incident to target the area housing the sand- bagged UN offices where tight security has been in place for more than a year, including a ban on traffic.

Source: Xinhua