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 UN.’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.”
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UN 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.
Paramedics, journalists killed
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 UN 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.
More than 1,200 people have been killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon, according to Lebanese authorities. They include more than 120 children, nearly 80 women and dozens of paramedics.
Fresh air strikes hit several towns in southern Lebanon on Monday and at least one strike hit Beirut’s southern suburbs, sending a plume of dark smoke into the sky.
At least 10 paramedics were killed over the weekend in Israeli strikes on south Lebanon, according to the Lebanese health ministry.
Three journalists were killed in an Israeli strike on their car on Saturday.
The Israeli military has accused Hezbollah operatives of posing as Lebanese paramedics, and has said that some journalists it killed were part of the group’s intelligence or military wing.
It has not publicly provided evidence to support those claims.
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Lebanon’s health ministry has denied that any ambulances or health facilities are used for military purposes. Lebanon’s presidency has said that targeted journalists are “civilians performing a professional duty.”
Israel has said it intends to control a buffer zone up to the Litani river, which runs about 30 km (20 miles) north of the Lebanese border with Israel.
Its ground troops have been pushing into Lebanese border towns and demolishing homes in the area.
Five Israeli soldiers were killed, and five more troops were injured on Sunday as a result of separate drone and anti-missile attacks in southern Lebanon.
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