The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) announced that a blue helmet was killed by a projectile of unknown origin in the south of the country, which is being ravaged by fighting between Israel and the pro-Iranian movement Hezbollah .
"A peacekeeper was tragically killed in an explosion at a UNIFIL post near Adchit Al Qusayr," the statement read. "Another was seriously injured. No one should ever lose their life serving the cause of peace." According to the UN peacekeeping mission, "the circumstances of the explosion are unknown, but an investigation has been launched."
The artillery shell struck the Indonesian contingent's headquarters in the Marjayoun district, in the eastern sector of the Spanish-led UNIFIL. Both the victim and the wounded man, Jakarta authorities reported, are Indonesian.
Since the beginning of the month , the Sassari Brigade has assumed command of the Italian contingent and of UNIFIL's Western Sector . Of the 2,800 peacekeepers under the command of the "Dimonios" commander, General Andrea Fraticelli, 1,000 are Italian, and over 500 belong to the "Sassari" Brigade.
UNIFIL appealed: "Once again , we urge all actors to uphold their obligations under international law and to ensure the safety of United Nations personnel and property at all times by refraining from actions that could endanger UN peacekeepers. Deliberate attacks against UN peacekeepers constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law and Security Council Resolution 1701, and may amount to war crimes. Too many lives have been lost on both sides of the Blue Line in this conflict. There is no military solution. The violence must end."
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterre also expressed his support for the incident, saying: "I strongly condemn last Sunday's incident, in which an Indonesian soldier from the UNIFIL peacekeeping mission was killed in the context of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. Another Indonesian soldier was seriously injured in the same incident. I express my deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the deceased soldier and to Indonesia. I wish a speedy and full recovery to the injured soldier. This is just one of several recent incidents that have jeopardized the safety of soldiers engaged in peacekeeping missions. I call on everyone to respect their obligations under international law and to ensure the safety of UNIFIL personnel and property at all times ."
Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon have killed 1,238 people since the start of the war between Israel and Hezbollah , the Beirut-based Ministry of Health reports. Over a million people have been displaced by the bombings and expulsion orders issued by the Israeli army.
(Unioneonline/D)