At least six people were injured in a car bomb explosion in eastern suburb of Beirut on Friday night.

The blast had destroyed the first floor of an apartment building and blown out windows in surrounding buildings, local TV reported.

Security forces and ambulances flooded the area.

Lebanon has been rocked by political turmoil since Feb. 14 when former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri was killed in a bomb attack, for which many Lebanese held Damascus responsible. But Syria denies the charge.

Syria, under enormous international pressure, has begun pulling its troops out of its tiny neighbor after a 29-year presence.

(CRI.com March 19, 2005)