A United Nations official said on Wednesday that unknown persons attacked a group of United Nations Peacekeeping Forces (UNIFIL) In southern Lebanon, they vandalized their vehicles and stole official items from them.
Such clashes with UN peacekeepers are common in southern Lebanon since the peacekeeping force’s mandate was expanded in the wake of the 2006 war between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.
Candice Ardell, press officer for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, said that UNIFIL called on the Lebanese authorities to “conduct a prompt and thorough investigation, and to prosecute all those responsible for these crimes.” She added that the attack occurred on Tuesday night.
Local media reported that residents of the southern town of Bint Jbeil clashed with Irish peacekeepers, who said they were taking pictures of their homes. The reports added that the UN force was not accompanied by Lebanese soldiers.
The town of Bint Jbeil is a stronghold of Hezbollah and large parts of it were destroyed during the 2006 war.
Contrary to the misinformation being disseminated, Ardell said, the peacekeepers did not take pictures and were not on private property. She added that the peacekeepers were on their way to meet with members of the Lebanese army for a regular patrol.
“UNIFIL condemns the attacks on men and women who serve the cause of peace, which are considered violations of Lebanese and international law,” she added. She added that UNIFIL also condemns those who manipulate the residents of the area for their own ends.
UNIFIL was originally set up to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli forces after the 1978 invasion. The mission in Lebanon was expanded under a UN-brokered truce after a month-long war between Israel and Hezbollah militants in 2006.
The Lebanese Foreign Ministry condemned a similar incident of peacekeepers in southern Lebanon late last year. A major dispute occurred between some young men from the southern town of Shaqra and the UNIFIL forces, against the background of an international soldier filming a location in the town on his phone, according to eyewitnesses, who stated that the patrol was in one of the inner neighborhoods of the town without the escort of the Lebanese army. When one of its soldiers was spotted taking pictures, which angered the people who gathered and attacked the vehicles.
The first incident coincided with the departure of United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres from Beirut following a four-day visit during which he made statements that angered Hezbollah, as he demanded its transformation into a political party like other parties.