Southern Lebanon is back in the limelight again through Attacking a convoy of forces preserve peace UNIFIL In the town of Al-Aqibiya at midnight on Wednesday-Thursday, an Irish soldier was killed and 3 others were wounded.
This incident comes to join a series of field disputes between the international forces and the “people” who moved between several Lebanese regions in the south, in which opponents accused Hezbollah of standing behind it indirectly, by using the people and hiding behind them to achieve political goals and deliver a number of messages to the protection forces. Peace be upon UNIFIL and the international community behind it.
Although the incidents of attacking UNIFIL members began with the presence of these forces on Lebanese soil after the July 2006 war that took place between Israel and Hezbollah, what is remarkable about the incident in the town of Al-Aqibiya was that it was armed this time and resulted in the death of an Irish soldier and the wounding of 3 others, while the The previous problems were caused by throwing stones at the patrol members, destroying UNIFIL vehicles and vehicles, confiscating communication devices without shooting directly and wounding the soldiers, which raises questions about the main reason for the use of weapons?
Shooting at the patrol
And while the accounts indicated (no statement was issued by the Lebanese army or any other official party explaining what happened) that an Irish force was exposed at midnight from Wednesday-Thursday to an armed confrontation in the town of Al-Aqibiya, which resulted in the death of a soldier and the wounding of three others, as a result of their car overturning due to gunfire. Directly on them, a judicial source told Al-Arabiya.net, “The Irish soldier died as a result of gunfire at the vehicle he was in with his comrades who were injured, and not because their car overturned.”
The judicial source explained, “The Irish force’s vehicle is armored and bullets cannot penetrate it, but the back door was open after the incident, which means that there was a chase and gunfire that led to the death of one soldier and the wounding of others.”
He stressed, “Investigations are continuing to uncover the circumstances of what happened, and so far there have been no arrests.”
Two cars for the Irish Kitty
The judicial source indicated, “The convoy of the Irish battalion consisted of two vehicles that were heading to Beirut, one of which took the highway line and was not attacked, while the other took a secondary road inside the town, which aroused the opposition of armed men, so what happened happened.”
At the end of last August, the UN Security Council decided to renew the international peacekeeping forces (UNIFIL) in the south, for another year. And he insisted that these forces do not need prior permission to carry out their tasks, and they have freedom of movement within their areas of operation, which Hezbollah rejects, as its opponents accuse it of hiding behind the so-called “local population” to shoot at UNIFIL and carry out attacks against its forces under the pretext that “its patrols are carrying out actions.” filming, and moving without the escort of the Lebanese army.”
The incident of exposure to the Irish force prompted condemning reactions from the official authorities locally and abroad, especially since Ireland is one of the politically neutral countries and is not one of the main forces in UNIFIL, such as the French forces, for example.
Macron’s visit to southern Lebanon
The incident comes on the heels of information (unconfirmed so far) about a “lightning” visit that French President Emmanuel Macron may make to southern Lebanon to inspect and greet the French soldiers working within the UNIFIL forces, noting that informed sources told Al Arabiya.net that “a French official He will visit his country’s UNIFIL forces to greet them in the New Year.”
In addition, the former government commissioner to the military court, Judge Peter Germanos, considered to Al-Arabiya.net that “what happened is very dangerous and affects the Lebanese national security, and thus threatens the presence of the international forces in the south.”
Reducing the number of international forces: He said, “If a serious investigation does not take place and the perpetrators are punished, then Lebanon is exposed to serious international repercussions, and I do not rule out the Security Council’s move in this context if it does not see the existence of a serious investigation, and it may take a decision to reduce the number of international forces.”