The situation in Lebanon is increasingly heated, and increasingly dangerous for the UNIFIL contingent.
Two more UN peacekeepers were killed today and two were injured, one seriously. They are believed to be Indonesian soldiers serving in the contingent stationed in the country. This brings the death toll to three in the space of a few hours, highlighting the growing danger facing the soldiers serving in the UN peacekeeping mission . The incident occurred in the southeastern part of the country, in Bani Hayyan, about forty kilometers from Shama, where the Sassari Brigade operates. UNIFIL has launched an investigation to determine the origin of the bombing, which directly hit a peacekeepers' vehicle.
"Two UNIFIL peacekeepers were tragically killed today in southern Lebanon when an explosion of unknown origin destroyed their vehicle near Bani Hayyan . Two other peacekeepers were injured, one seriously. This is the second fatality in the last 24 hours," UNIFIL said in a statement. "We reiterate," it added, "that no one should ever die in the service of peace." UNIFIL extended its "sincere condolences" to the families of the victims and "wishes for a speedy recovery" to the injured. The statement also stated: "Deliberate attacks against peacekeepers constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law and Security Council Resolution 1701 and may amount to war crimes. The human cost of this conflict is too high. The violence, as we have said, must end."
The contingent, which also includes the Sassari Brigade , is forced to operate in the crossfire between Hezbollah and the IDF, which has launched a ground operation to expand the so-called "buffer zone." A Sassari soldier was also injured in recent days.
THE REACTIONS
"This afternoon I had a telephone conversation with my French colleague Vautrin, with whom we shared the strategic importance of UNIFIL. Attacking United Nations forces is neither tolerable nor acceptable in any way. UN forces are in Lebanon to ensure peace. Those who attack the peacekeepers do not target individual forces: they target the international community as a whole and the principles that guarantee coexistence between states," Defense Minister Guido Crosetto wrote on X.
The Indonesian government and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres immediately condemned the incident , calling on all parties to respect international law and to ensure, at all times, the safety and security of United Nations personnel and property.
The European Union calls on Tel Aviv to "halt" its military operations in Lebanon. "We have already clearly expressed our position, we have urged and continue to urge Israel to respect Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity, calling on all parties to implement the terms of the ceasefire agreement of 27 November 2024 and the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, as well as to refrain from any action that would lead to further displacement, as, I reiterate, the situation on the ground, including from a humanitarian perspective, is serious," a Commission spokesperson said.
And Paris is calling for a meeting of the UN Security Council , Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced: "The attacks on UNIFIL are unacceptable, and we have expressed our firm condemnation to the Israeli ambassador in Paris. We are calling for a full investigation into the circumstances of these tragedies."
(Unioneonline/L)
