Haider al Barrak, Iraq’s ambassador to Lebanon, appeared in a video surrounded by armed men and firing an RPG rocket during his visit to a Lebanese village in Bekaa.
The video stirred up controversy which led to Barrak issuing an explanatory statement.
According to Barrak, he accepted an invitation by tribal leaders in Bekaa and “fired an RPG rocket as part of their customs.”
It is uncertain how and when firing RPG became “a custom” of “tribes” in Lebanon, as this was surprising, even shocking, to the Lebanese people, many of whom reacted on social media.
Iraqi people also reacted on social media, criticizing their country’s ambassador.
“For the first time in the history of the world, I see an ambassador representing a country carrying heavy weapons,” commented Twitter user @mimory444.
Firearm sales in Lebanon have nearly tripled since 2019, despite the economic conditions the country is going through.
This is mainly due to the government’s negligence towards weapon control in the country.
