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UN Chief Condemns Attack Killing French Peacekeeper in Lebanon

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has strongly condemned an attack in southern Lebanon that killed one French peacekeeper and injured three others serving with UNIFIL. The UN statement said the peacekeepers came under fire from non-state actors, presumed to be Hezbollah, while investigating a suspected IED placement. This deadly incident occurred despite a recently announced 10-day cessation of hostilities in the area. Guterres called for a prompt investigation and for those responsible to be held accountable.

Key Points: UN Condemns Attack on Peacekeeper in Lebanon, Cites Hezbollah

  • French peacekeeper killed in Lebanon
  • UNIFIL came under fire from non-state actors
  • Incident violates 10-day ceasefire
  • Guterres calls for investigation
  • Third deadly incident for UNIFIL recently
2 min read

UN chief strongly condemns attack killing French peacekeeper in Lebanon

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemns attack killing a French peacekeeper in Lebanon, calls for investigation and accountability.

"Attacks on peacekeepers must stop. They are grave violations of international humanitarian law. - UN Statement"

United Nations, April 19

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the attack that killed one French peacekeeper serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon and injured three others earlier in the day, his spokesperson said in a statement.

"Attacks on peacekeepers must stop. They are grave violations of international humanitarian law and of Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006) and may amount to war crimes," said the statement, issued by spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.

Guterres reiterated his call on all actors to uphold their obligations under international law, ensure the safety of UN personnel and the inviolability of UN property and assets, and respect UNIFIL's freedom of movement, Xinhua news agency reported quoting the statement.

"All attacks on peacekeepers must be promptly investigated, and those responsible must be effectively prosecuted and held accountable," it said.

The statement noted that according to a UNIFIL initial assessment, the peacekeepers came under fire from non-state actors, presumed to be Hezbollah, while investigating a location where suspected improvised explosive devices had reportedly been placed on a road between two United Nations positions in the UNIFIL area of operations in southern Lebanon.

This is the third incident in recent weeks to have resulted in the deaths of peacekeepers serving with UNIFIL and occurred despite a 10-day cessation of hostilities announced on April 16, the statement said, urging all actors to respect the truce and cease fire.

"The Secretary-General expresses his deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of the peacekeeper who died, and to the Government and people of the French Republic. He wishes a full and fast recovery to the injured peacekeepers," the statement said.

A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect at midnight between Thursday and Friday local time (2100 GMT), following an earlier announcement by US President Donald Trump.

However, the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement on Saturday that it had struck militants approaching a "Yellow Line," which marks the northern edge of the "security zone" established by Israel in southern Lebanon, over the past day.

The Israeli army also began constructing a new military site on Saturday near Kfarchouba village in the eastern sector of southern Lebanon's border area, according to eyewitnesses and a Lebanese security source.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Very sad news. While we have our own border tensions, we must always respect the sanctity of peacekeeping missions. Non-state actors causing such violence makes the entire region unstable. Hope the injured recover soon.
D
David E
This highlights the complex and dangerous situation in the Middle East. The ceasefire seems fragile if such attacks continue. The international community needs to put more pressure to hold the perpetrators accountable, no matter who they are.
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Ananya R
As an Indian, I feel for the peacekeeper's family. We know the value of soldiers serving in difficult conditions. But I must ask - is the UN's approach effective? Condemnations are not enough. There needs to be concrete, decisive action to protect these brave men and women.
K
Karthik V
The report says this is the third such incident recently. This is a worrying trend. When will the world powers step in to actually enforce peace? Sending condolences is necessary, but preventing the next attack is more important. Jai Hind.
S
Sarah B
It's tragic that this happened despite a ceasefire. The peacekeepers were investigating IEDs—they were literally trying to make the area safer. The world cannot allow such groups to operate with impunity. Thoughts with France.

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