Naharnet

Lebanese university postpones exams after Israeli strike kills students

Lebanon's public university said on Tuesday it was postponing some examinations after two students and their father were killed while returning to south Lebanon after sitting exams a day earlier.

The state-run National News Agency (NNA) said a dentist from the border village of Qlayaa "was killed with his son and daughter when an enemy drone targeted his car on the Nabatieh-Khardali road" on Monday.

Father Antonios Farah, a priest for the Qlayaa parish where some people are still holding out despite sweeping Israeli evacuation orders to leave, told AFP the man had been returning home with his son and daughter, both in their early 20s.

"The man and his two children went to the university in the morning so they could do their examinations, and on their way back the Israeli drone hit their car," he said.

The Lebanese University in a statement on X mourned the loss of the two students "in an Israeli attack targeting civilians on the Khardali road".

The institution, "which has lost a large number of its students, lecturers and employees during the Israeli aggression, affirms that the safety of the university community remains the highest priority".

It said it would postpone exams on its main campus in Beirut's southern suburbs, and in the southern city of Sidon, until next week "in the face of the current developments".

Father Antonios said that "we don't understand why this happened", adding that a bible and prayer book were found in the heavily damaged car.

"He's a dentist and his children are university students... this is extremely sad news for the village, everyone is suffering," he added.

The NNA reported Israeli airstrikes on dozens of south Lebanon locations on Monday.

Lebanon's health ministry said that Israeli attacks have killed at least 3,433 people and wounded 10,395 others since the latest war with Hezbollah erupted on March 2.

Source: Agence France Presse


Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. https://naharnet.com/stories/en/320435