On Saturday, three United Nations observers and an interpreter were injured when an artillery shell exploded nearby while they were on foot patrol in the south. LebanonThis was announced by the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission.
The source of the explosion remains under investigation at the base where the United Nations peacekeeping mission, known as UNIFIL, and the Unarmed Technical Observers, known as UNTSO, are stationed.
The operation in southern Lebanon is to monitor hostilities along the border between Lebanon and Lebanon. Israelknown as the Blue Line.
The Lebanese armed group Hezbollah has been engaged in a gunfight with Israeli forces across the Blue Line since October, paralleling the war in Gaza.
UNIFIL said in a statement on Saturday that the targeting of peacekeepers was “unacceptable” and injured personnel had been evacuated for treatment.
This was previously disclosed by two security officials. Reuters The guards were injured in an Israeli attack on the outskirts of the border town of Rumeish.
The Israeli military denied involvement in the incident. “Contrary to reports, the Israel Defense Forces did not attack UNIFIL vehicles in the Rumeish area this morning,” the military said in a statement.
Lebanese interim Prime Minister Najib Mikati met with UNIFIL commander Arold Rosalo and condemned the “targeting” and injury of UN personnel in southern Lebanon, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.
Milad Alam, the mayor of Rumeish, said he had spoken to a Lebanese interpreter and confirmed that his condition was stable.
Milad said: “After hearing an explosion from Rumeish, UNIFIL vehicles were seen speeding away. The foreign observers were taken by helicopter and car to Tire and a hospital in Beirut.” No further details were given about their condition.
One of the observers was a Norwegian national who suffered minor injuries, the Nordic defense ministry told Reuters. Lebanon’s state news agency said the two other injured guards were Chilean and Australian.
Israeli shelling of Lebanon killed nearly 270 Hezbollah fighters, but also killed about 50 civilians, including children, medical workers, and journalists, and damaged both UNIFIL and the Lebanese army.
UNIFIL said last month that Israeli forces opened fire on a group of clearly identified journalists, killing Reuters reporter Issam Abdallah, in violation of international law.
In a statement, UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Joanna Ronetska said she was “saddened” to learn of the injured and said the incident was “another reminder of the urgent need to return to a cessation of fighting beyond the Blue Line”. ” he said. .
The United States and other countries have sought to secure a diplomatic solution to the gunfight between Hezbollah and Israel. Hezbollah has said it will not stop shelling until a ceasefire is implemented in Gaza.
Additional reporting by Reuters.
