Beirut: Lebanese Information Minister Paul Morcos announced on Tuesday that an indictment related to the 2020 Beirut port blast is expected to be issued within the upcoming months, indicating that the investigation is now in its final stages.

According to Anadolu Agency, Morcos made this statement during a sit-in organized by the families of the victims on the sixth anniversary of the catastrophic explosion. He emphasized that the judicial investigations are proceeding without obstruction under the current government's mandate. However, Morcos did not disclose additional details regarding the investigation's progress or previous hindrances it encountered.

The sit-in took place near the Beirut port at a memorial dedicated to the firefighters who perished in the blast. Numerous relatives of the victims participated, reiterating their demand for the truth to be uncovered and for accountability to be enforced. The explosion on August 4, 2020, led to the deaths of more than 220 individuals, injured approximately 7,000 others, and resulted in significant damage throughout the Lebanese capital.

Official reports indicate that the explosion originated in Warehouse 12, where around 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate, seized from a cargo ship in 2014, had been stored. The investigation into this disaster has been marred by years of political and judicial challenges, and no indictment has been issued to date.

Social Affairs Minister Hanin al-Sayyed, who lost her mother in the explosion, expressed the collective urgency felt by the victims' families and the Lebanese people. 'We are exerting pressure as families of the victims and as all Lebanese to reach the truth, to know where this file stands, how and when it will be completed, and we are confident that the judiciary will bring this file to its conclusion,' al-Sayyed stated. She also highlighted that resolving the explosion case remains a priority for the government.