BEIRUT, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on Wednesday denied any role of the UNIFIL in the entry of the ammonium nitrate that exploded at the Beirut port on Aug. 4, 2020, the National News Agency reported.

The remarks by UNIFIL Spokesman Andrea Tenenti came after recent media reports suspecting a role of the UNIFIL Maritime Task Force (MTF) in the tragic Beirut port explosions.

He said the MTF usually refers any suspicious ships to the Lebanese authorities which later inspect those ships independently.

"The UNIFIL cannot conduct a physical inspection of any vessel in Lebanese territorial waters unless specifically requested by Lebanese authorities," Tenenti noted.

"UNIFIL calls on media outlets to refrain from baseless and misleading speculations about such a serious and tragic matter," the spokesman said.

Lebanon was rocked on Aug. 4, 2020 by two huge explosions in the capital Beirut, killing about 212 people and wounding more than 6,000 others.

Investigations into the blasts have so far failed to hold anyone accountable for the entry of the ammonium nitrate into the port and reveal the real reasons behind the explosions. Enditem

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