UN condemns killing of two more peacekeepers in Lebanon

This article is published in association with United Nations.

The United Nations has condemned two consecutive days of deadly attacks on peacekeepers serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), amid rising hostilities between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants. 

Two Indonesian peacekeepers were killed on Monday, and two more were injured, in an explosion that hit a UNIFIL logistics convoy, destroying their vehicle.

The incident took place near Bani Hayyan in southern Lebanon a day after another Indonesian blue helmet was killed when a projectile hit the mission’s base in Ett Taibe and exploded.  

A colleague – who was critically injured and evacuated to the capital, Beirut –remains in hospital. 

Never a target 

UNIFIL is conducting investigations “to determine the circumstances of these tragic developments,” the head of UN Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, said in New York. 

“We strongly condemn these unacceptable incidents. Peacekeepers must never be a target,” he told journalists at a press briefing at UN Headquarters. 

“We also remain seriously concerned about several aggressive behaviour incidents against UNIFIL peacekeepers in the past couple of days,” he added. 

Widening regional risks 

Mr. Lacroix affirmed that UN peacekeepers “remain on the ground, carrying out Security Council-mandated tasks, in these extremely dangerous conditions.”  

Tensions continue to rise in the Middle East more than a month after the United States and Israel bombed Iran, prompting Iran to carry out retaliatory strikes on several countries in the region. 

At the outset, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the crisis risked “igniting a chain of events that no one can control in the most volatile region of the world.” 

Since 2 March, more than 1,200 people in Lebanon have been killed in the escalation in hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, said UN Special Coordinator for the country Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert.

Determining the circumstances 

Following the deadly shelling incident on Sunday, UNIFIL Spokesperson Kandice Ardiel told UN News that a probe was underway but will take time. 

“For the moment, we don’t have a clear idea of exactly what happened, but that’s what the investigation will find out,” she said. 

“Once we have that investigation concluded, per usual practice we’ll share that with the parties. And depending on the result, if we find a party responsible, we will let them know and we will formally protest that to them.” 

Service and sacrifice 

More than 8,000 peacekeepers from nearly 50 countries serve with UNIFIL.  These men and women “demonstrate utmost courage and commitment to advancing international peace and security far away from home,” said Mr. Lacroix. 

The mission was established in 1978 by the UN Security Council to confirm the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, restore international peace and security, and assist the Lebanese Government in ensuring the return of its effective authority in the area. 

It has played an important role in advancing peace and security, including by patrolling the Blue Line of separation between the two countries. 

‘A very dangerous and volatile situation’ 

Peacekeepers also assist in implementing the Security Council resolution that brought an end to more than 30 days of hostilities between Israeli forces and Hezbollah in 2006. 

The current clashes have led to “a multiplicity of violations” of resolution 1701 (2006), Mr. Lacroix said, citing strikes in both directions across the Blue Line as well as the presence of Israeli forces in Lebanon. 

“We’ve seen a great deal of Israeli incursions into South Lebanon in different areas, including near our headquarters in Naqoura, where about a week or so ago, in past days, we had some very violent battles that we could hear taking place,” said Ms. Ardiel. 

“Our headquarters here was impacted by bullets, by shrapnel. Rockets even impacted in our headquarters, so it was a very dangerous and volatile situation.” 

No military solution 

Mr. Lacroix was adamant that hostilities can only be resolved through diplomatic means. 

“There cannot be a military solution. There has to be a political solution,” he said. 

“The framework is there for a political solution – resolution 1701 – to which all the parties are still committed, to the best of what we hear from them.”