For Lebanese bishop, Al-Qaa is a symbol of coexistence, the terrorists shall not win
Mgr Elias Rahal, the Greek -Melkite archbishop of Baalbek, visited the town that was attacked. Lebanon’s army has re-imposed a semblance of security. In this border town, Christians and Muslims live peacefully and fruitfully. We “shall never leave the town,” the prelate said.
Al Qaa (AsiaNews) – At dawn on Monday, four suicide bombers blew themselves up in al-Qaa, a predominantly Christian town, killing themselves and five locals, and wounded 16. A few hours later, another three terrorists carried out another attack that wounded 13 more. One of these suicide bombers blew himself up in front of the Greek Melkite church.
The terrorists targeted the town because it "has a Christian majority", it is close to the border, and “Christians and Muslims have lived together peacefully and fruitfully for a long time,” said Mgr Elias Rahal, Greek Melkite Archbishop of Baalbek, who recently visited the community.
Located in eastern Lebanon, near the border with Syria, the town that went through the twin terrorist attack is home to “Christians and Muslims who have lived alongside each other and will continue to do so in future, without fear," insisted the prelate, who yesterday celebrated the funerals of the victims (pictured).
Since the attacks, gun battles continue between the Lebanese army and armed extremist groups just outside of town. "Now in town there is an atmosphere of relative calm,” the archbishop said, “because the army patrols the perimeter of the village and its access points."
The prelate hopes that "the violence is over" and that "no more attacks will take place. We have to restore calm and resolve the refugee problem. "
Mgr Elias Rahal was born on 14 April 1942 in Baalbek, Lebanon. Ordained on 28 June 1970, he completed his studies at the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome where he earned a doctorate in Canon Law.
On 28 June 2004, he was appointed Greek Melkite archbishop of the Archeparchy of Baalbek, where he replaced Mgr Cyril Salim Bustros.
The small town of al-Qaa “has 15,000 residents,” Mgr Rahal said. However, “not far from its borders there is a refugee camp holding at least 30,000 Syrian refugees who fled the war. They are twice as many as locals and this is source of security and public order concerns.”
Speaking about how the attacks unfolded, the bishop noted that "terrorists entered town at night to strike a first time. A second group waited until evening to blow themselves up,” but the latter did not cause any casualties.
“The terrorists come from Syria. They have been active for some time, and once and while they cross the border to strike,” he explained.
In spite of "threats and pressures" on the Christian community, "we shall never leave the town. This is our land and we shall not be intimidated. We want to stay."
Meanwhile, reacting to the attacks, Lebanon’s military detained hundreds of Syrians who are illegally in the country, targeting unrecognised refugee camps near Baalbek.
So far no one has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but the authorities suspect the Islamic State group. The Jihadi organisation has already carried out attacks in the past in various parts of Lebanon, killing scores.
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