French President Emmanuel Macron, at the end of his visit to Beirut, called for an "international investigation" over the Beirut port explosion, while the Lebanese military judiciary announced the start of a campaign of arrests and interrogations against the background of the port explosion last Tuesday.

"An open and transparent international investigation must be conducted to prevent concealment of things first and to prevent suspicion," Macron said - who visited Lebanon today - at a press conference.

In response to a question by a French journalist about imposing sanctions on Lebanese officials who obstruct reforms, he said, "I do not exclude anything," adding that "in some circumstances, the sanctions are not the most effective, I think that the most effective solution is to re-enter everyone in the mechanism" of resolving the crisis.

He called on Lebanese leaders to make profound changes in their performance and rebuild a new political system to get the country out of its political and economic predicament, and announced the organization of an international conference to support Lebanon after the Beirut explosion.

In the context, the Lebanese presidency reported that President Michel Aoun renewed his determination to know the reasons for what he called the tragedy and crime that took place in Beirut, and to reveal its causes and causes, during his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, in contrast, there was a difference in the positions of the political parties regarding dealing with the consequences of the explosion Especially at the level of investigation between those who want it internationally and those who wish to keep it locally.


Arrest and interrogation campaign In another development, the government commissioner to the Military Court, Judge Fadi Aqiki, announced on Thursday the arrest of 16 people, including officials at the Beirut Port, pending an investigation, against the backdrop of the huge explosion that killed 137 people and injured 5,000 others.

Akiki said in a statement that "more than 18 people have been questioned so far, from officials of the Board of Directors of the Port of Beirut and the Customs Administration and those responsible for maintenance work and those who carried out this work in ward No. 12" where 2750 tons of ammonium nitrate was stored, in addition to "materials Flaming flammable and cables for slow detonation, "explaining that" 16 of them are currently under investigation. "

According to Lebanese media, the discriminatory prosecutor, Judge Ghassan Aouidat, issued a decision to prevent travel by both former customs director Shafiq Mari, current director general of customs Badri Daher, and director of Beirut Port Hassan Quraytem.

On the other hand, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs called on member states to participate in an online meeting on the humanitarian situation in Lebanon next Monday.

A diplomatic source told Al Jazeera that the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs will give a briefing on the humanitarian situation in Beirut and discuss UN efforts to support the ongoing response there.

The source also indicated that the meeting will highlight the gaps in the current response to the situation in Beirut and call for urgent support.

Human rights calls for investigation
Amnesty International has called for the immediate creation of an international mechanism to investigate how the Beirut Port explosion occurred, whatever the cause.

The acting Secretary General of the organization, Julie Ferrhar, called for increased urgent humanitarian aid for Lebanon, which was already suffering from an acute economic crisis and the repercussions of the Corona virus.

For its part, Human Rights Watch called for an independent international investigation into the Beirut port explosion. Which caused great damage to the capital.

She stressed the need to ensure that those affected have access to housing, food and health care in an impartial and fair manner.

IMF calls for overcoming obstacles
In a statement Thursday, the International Monetary Fund urged Lebanon to overcome obstacles in the debate on fundamental reforms, after the huge explosion that destroyed Beirut's port last Tuesday.

The fund stressed that "it is necessary to overcome obstacles in talks on fundamental reforms and develop a serious program to revive the economy."

Negotiations between the Lebanese authorities and the International Monetary Fund have stalled for weeks due to the failure of the Lebanese negotiating delegation to provide a unified vision on the estimates of financial losses on which the support program sought by the Lebanese government in the midst of an unprecedented economic crisis will be built.

Tuesday's explosion, which the IMF described as a "disaster" and tragedy, killed at least 137 people and injured 5,000 others, according to a toll that is still temporary, as dozens are still missing, while hundreds of thousands have suddenly become Without shelter.

Lebanon is grappling with the worst economic crisis in its recent history, tens of thousands of Lebanese have lost their jobs or part of their salaries and their purchasing power has been eroded, while the dollar reserves are depleted to import vital subsidized materials such as wheat, medicine and fuel.

Arab aid
On the other hand, the flow of Arab and international aid continues to assist in relief operations and the treatment of the wounded and injured as a result of the explosion that shook Beirut Port last Tuesday.

Morocco announced the launch of an air bridge to help Lebanon deal with the consequences of the Beirut port explosion. Jordan has also announced that two Jordanian military planes carrying a field hospital will travel to the Lebanese capital, Beirut, to provide treatment services for the wounded in the port explosion.

Kuwait also flew a second military cargo plane within an air bridge to help Lebanon overcome the repercussions of the Beirut port accident two days ago.

According to the Kuwaiti Red Crescent, the plane is loaded with 35 tons of medicines and medical supplies, which will be delivered to the Lebanese Red Cross.

The Qatar Charity Regulatory Authority, in cooperation with the Qatar Charity and the Qatar Red Crescent, launched a campaign under the slogan "Lebanon in our hearts". According to the organizers, the campaign aims to support and stand with the Lebanese people in this disaster.

And outside the Arab region; The US military announced Thursday that it will send 3 shipments of water, food and medicine to Lebanon.

Centcom Commander Frank McKenzie called Thursday Lebanese Army Commander General Aoun to inform him of the assistance, his spokesman Bill Urban said.