Members of the Lebanese civil defence battle a fireplace on the website of an Israeli strike on Beirut’s Basta neighbourhood on October 11, 2024. Agence France-Presse
UNITED NATIONS — Forty nations that contribute to the UN peacekeeping drive in Lebanon mentioned Saturday that they “strongly condemn latest assaults” on the peacekeepers.
“Such actions should cease instantly and ought to be adequately investigated,” mentioned the joint assertion, posted on X by the Polish UN mission and signed by nations together with main contributors Indonesia, Italy and India.
Different signatories embrace Ghana, Nepal, Malaysia, Spain, France and China — all international locations which have contributed a number of hundred troops to the drive.
READ: Heavy Israeli bombardment in Gaza; UN peacekeepers in Lebanon hit anew
A minimum of 5 peacekeepers have been wounded in latest days as Israel takes its combat in opposition to Hezbollah into southern Lebanon.
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The peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, has accused the Israeli navy of “intentionally” firing on its positions.
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The 40 contributing international locations “reaffirm our full help for UNIFIL’s mission and actions, whose principal intention is to deliver stabilization and lasting peace in South Lebanon in addition to within the Center East,” the assertion learn.
“We urge the events of the battle to respect UNIFIL’s presence, which entails the duty to ensure the security and safety of its personnel always,” it added.
READ: UN warns of disaster as Israel fights a two-front conflict
UNIFIL, which entails about 9,500 troops of some 50 nationalities, is tasked with monitoring a ceasefire that ended a 33-day conflict in 2006 between Israel and Hezbollah.
Its function was bolstered by UN Safety Council Decision 1701 of that 12 months, which stipulated that solely the Lebanese military and UN peacekeepers ought to be deployed in south Lebanon.
At a summit on Friday, French, Italian and Spanish leaders mentioned the “assaults” on UNIFIL peacekeepers violated Decision 1701 and should finish.
UNIFIL mentioned that, in latest days, its forces have “repeatedly” come below hearth within the Lebanese city of Naqura the place it’s headquartered, in addition to in different positions.
The mission mentioned that Israeli tank hearth on Thursday induced two Indonesian peacekeepers to fall off a watch tower in Naqura.
The next day it mentioned explosions near an statement tower in Naqura wounded two Sri Lankan Blue Helmets, whereas Israel mentioned it had responded to an “speedy risk” close to a UN peacekeeping place.
On Saturday UNIFIL mentioned a peacekeeper in Naqura “was hit by gunfire” on Friday night time.
UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenenti advised AFP the peacekeeping mission’s work had grow to be “very tough as a result of there may be plenty of injury, even contained in the bases.”