Peacekeepers' safety paramount: Indian Mission after attack on UN posts in Lebanon

India on Saturday emphasised the safety of UN peacekeepers after United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) posts came under attack from Israeli forces targeting Hezbollah in the region. The Indian Mission to the UN stressed that as a major troop-contributing country, it fully aligns with the joint statement issued by the 34 countries supporting UNIFIL.

“The safety and security of peacekeepers are of paramount importance and must be ensured in accordance with extant UNSC resolutions,” India said.

Notably, 600 Indian soldiers are part of the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, and are stationed along the 120-km Blue Line on the Israel-Lebanon border.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) issued a statement on Saturday, stating that a peacekeeper was injured last night at their Naqoura headquarters amid ongoing military activity in the area. The peacekeeper, who was hit by a bullet, underwent surgery at a local hospital and is now in stable condition.

"We remind all actors of their obligations to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and premises, including avoiding combat activities near UNIFIL positions," UNIFIL stated.

The statement followed two incidents involving Israeli military action. On Friday, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) admitted that its troops had fired at a UNIFIL post in Naqoura, injuring two Sri Lankan peacekeepers. The IDF explained that soldiers had identified a perceived threat and responded accordingly, promising a thorough investigation "at the highest levels."

A day earlier, two Indonesian UNIFIL soldiers were injured after falling from an observation tower when an Israeli tank fired in their direction.

The UN's top peacekeeping official, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, indicated that there were signs some of the firing on UN positions may have been deliberate, saying, "We have a case where a tower was hit by fire, and there was damage to cameras, which to us looked like direct fire."

Tensions have escalated along the Israel-Lebanon border as Israeli forces continue their ground invasion of southern Lebanon, launched in response to Hezbollah's aggression. The IDF stated that over 100 rockets fired into northern Israel from Lebanon on Friday, with drones also crossing into Israeli airspace.

The violence has sparked global outrage. France, Italy, and Spain jointly condemned Israel's actions against UN posts, calling them "unjustifiable." Sri Lanka's foreign ministry strongly condemned the attack that injured its peacekeepers.

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