Timeline of violent events relating to the Syrian Civil War spillover in Lebanon (2011–14) CIA were passed onto Lebanese security officials. On 15 August 2013, a car bomb exploded in Beirut, Lebanon killing twenty seven people and injuring over two-hundred people. The Islamist group Aisha Umm-al Mouemeneen, also known as Brigades of Aisha, were responsible for the explosion. The car bomb was intended for the stronghold of Hezbollah. On 23 August 2013, twin bombings in Tripoli, Lebanon caused extensive damage with some 47 people killed and more than 500 wounded according to Lebanon's state-run National News Agency. On 14 November 2013, two Syrian Army helicopters crossed the border into Lebanon and fired a total
Foreign hostages in Iraq Foreign hostages in Iraq Members of the Iraqi insurgency began taking foreign hostages in Iraq beginning in April 2004. Since then, in a dramatic instance of Islamist kidnapping they have taken captive more than 200 foreigners and thousands of Iraqis; among them, dozens of hostages were killed and others rescued or freed. In 2004, executions of captives were often filmed, and many were beheaded. However, the number of the recorded killings decreased significantly. Many hostages remain missing with no clue as to their whereabouts. The United States Department of State Hostage Working Group was organized by the U.S. Embassy, Baghdad,