BEIRUT – A United Nations peacekeeper was killed in southern Lebanon overnight, prompting condemnations on Monday after a bloody weekend in which Lebanese journalists and medics were killed in Israeli strikes.
The peacekeeper from Indonesia was the first from the U.N.’s peacekeeping force, known as UNIFIL, to be killed in the new war between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah which erupted on March 2.
UNIFIL said the peacekeeper was killed when a projectile exploded at one of its positions near the southern Lebanese village of Adchit al-Qusayr on Sunday. Another peacekeeper was critically injured.
“We do not know the origin of the projectile. We have launched an investigation to determine all of the circumstances,” UNIFIL said.
Indonesia’s foreign ministry said on Monday the deceased peacekeeper was one of its citizens and that three others were injured by “indirect artillery fire” in the vicinity of the Indonesian UNIFIL contingent’s position near Adchit al-Qusayr.
Indonesia condemned the incident and said any harm to peacekeepers is unacceptable, while reiterating its condemnation “of Israel’s attacks in Southern Lebanon.”
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said attacks on peacekeepers are grave violations of international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes. He called for accountability and urged all parties to ensure the safety of U.N. personnel.
UNIFIL is stationed in southern Lebanon to monitor hostilities along the demarcation line with Israel – an area that is at the heart of clashes between Israeli troops and Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters.
On March 6, Israeli tank fire wounded Ghanaian soldiers at a U.N. peacekeeping position in southern Lebanon.
Lebanon was pulled into the war in the Middle East when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in solidarity with Tehran, two days after Iran was attacked by Israel and the United States. Hezbollah’s attack prompted a new Israeli ground and air offensive.
