News Summary
- On Monday, two UN peacekeepers were killed and one was injured in an attack on UNIFIL in southern Lebanon.
- Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed one of the deceased peacekeepers was its citizen and has called for an impartial investigation.
- UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged all parties to abide by international law and ensure the security of peacekeepers.
March 30, Kathmandu – A deadly attack on United Nations peacekeepers in southern Lebanon has resulted in the deaths of two personnel and injured another.
According to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), an explosion near the village of Bani Hayyan in southern Lebanon damaged a vehicle carrying peacekeepers.
UNIFIL shared on social media that the recent blast on Monday caused the death of two peacekeepers and injured one. The force emphasized, “No one should lose their life while serving peace.”
This comes after a previous attack on a UNIFIL post near Al-Qusayr in southern Lebanon last Sunday, which claimed one peacekeeper’s life.
Additionally, an attack occurred at a command post housing Nepalese peacekeepers in Mays al-Jabal, Lebanon. While some personal belongings of peacekeepers were damaged, there were no human casualties in that incident.
Among the two peacekeepers killed in Monday’s attack, one has been confirmed to be Indonesian.
The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the deceased was its citizen. Additionally, three Indonesian peacekeepers were injured in the attack.
Indonesia has condemned the incident and demanded a fair and transparent investigation.
Indonesia also accused Israel of military incursions in southern Lebanon and called for respect of Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, an end to attacks on civilian infrastructure, and for tensions to be eased through dialogue.
Concerns and Condemnations
The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the attack and urged all parties to respect international law and guarantee the safety of UN personnel. He noted that recent incidents pose a serious risk to peacekeepers’ security.
France has called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian strongly condemned the attacks on UNIFIL, labeling them “unacceptable and unjustifiable.”
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez condemned the attacks on peacekeepers and called on Israel to halt military operations.
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin also criticized the escalating violence against peacekeepers in recent days, describing it as “worrying and violent.”
Rising Violence Amid Israel’s Ground Offensive Expansion
These recent developments have occurred as Israel expands its ground offensive in Lebanon, advancing deeper into southern areas. Israel says this campaign aims to protect its northern region from Hezbollah’s aerial attacks.
Following the US-Israeli attacks on Iran that began February 28 and Hezbollah’s retaliatory strikes in northern Israel, Israeli assaults on Lebanon have intensified since early March.
According to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health, over 1,200 people have died due to Israeli attacks, and more than 1.2 million civilians have been displaced.
Reports from the southern city of Tyre indicate that clashes and violent incidents have escalated alongside the ground offensive, as reported by Al Jazeera. The latest incident on Monday involved an Israeli attack on a military checkpoint in the south, resulting in the death of a Lebanese soldier.
