BEIRUT (dpa-AFX) – Peacekeepers in Lebanon have come under fire again. The UN monitoring mission Unifil said these were separate incidents in three different locations. The peacekeepers were on patrol near their bases in the south of the country when they were allegedly fired upon by non-state armed groups. Nobody was injured. Unifil did not provide any further information about the alleged attackers.
In Lebanon, fighting has flared up again between the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia and Israel as a result of the Iran war. The peacekeepers repeatedly find themselves caught between the fronts in the border area with Israel. Just about a week ago, three Unifil soldiers were injured, one of them seriously.
“It is unacceptable for peacekeepers carrying out tasks mandated by the Security Council to be attacked,” Unifil said. Any attack on Unifil troops constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law.
The United Nations has stationed peacekeepers in the border region since 1978. Around 7,500 soldiers from almost 50 countries are currently involved./lkl/DP/he
