UN court finds no evidence against Hezbollah, Syria in Hariri's assassination

Former Prime Minister of Lebanon, Rafik Hariri was travelling in a motorcade on February 14, 2005 when a bomb concealed in a van near Beirut’s St George Hotel exploded. Itkilled Hariri and 21 others.

Fifteen years later, a special United Nations court has delivered the verdict. No evidence has been found against the militant group, Hezbollah.

“The trial chamber is of the view that Syria and Hezbollah may have had motives to eliminate Mr Hariri and some of his political allies, however, there is no evidence that the Hezbollah leadership had any involvement in Mr Hariri's murder and there is no direct evidence of Syrian involvement”, the verdict read.

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Hariri was one of Lebanon's prominent Sunni politicians.

Following his killing, thousands of people protested, claiming that Shia militant group Hezbollah and its backer Syria were the culprits.Syria had occupied parts of Lebanon since 1976, after civil war broke out in the country.

Hariri, at the time of his death had been urging Syria to withdraw its troops.The tribunal verdict has overturned long-standing suspicions on Hezbollah, but it still remains unclear who committed the crime.

Hariri's assassination led to the withdrawal of Syrian forces from Lebanon but Hezbollah’s presence has since increased.

Hariri's son, Saad Hariri served two terms as the prime minister with Hezbollah's support.The verdict holds less importance today than it did at the time of Hariri's assassination.The pandemic, economic collapse and unemployment are bigger concerns for the country.In recent days, the blast in Beirut has become the focal point of politics.

The massive explosion on August 4 killed more than 150 people, with many rendered homeless in the aftermath.

The court said that the assassination was a political act. But it was a personal war for many, between the Sunnis and Shias.