At least five people were killed and 15 wounded in suicide bomb attacks early on Monday in the predominantly Christian village of Qaa, northern Lebanon – on a road linking its Bekaa valley to Syria.
Four bombers blew themselves up on Qaa’s streets starting at 1am GMT. No group has yet claimed responsibility, though Al-Manar TV – a station owned by the militant Shia group, Hezbollah, who are fighting across the border in support of Syria’s President Assad – has blamed Islamic State.
Most of Qaa’s residents are Christian though there is a predominantly Sunni Muslim area in the town. A large number of Syrian refugees have set up an informal camp adjacent to the village, according to AFP.
If Islamic State’s involvement is confirmed, it would mark the first time the armed group has targeted a Christian village in Lebanon, although Lebanon has seen much violence linked to Syria both before and during the present war there.
Sources: BBC, Al Jazeera
