United Nations, April 2 – The UN Security Council condemned the incidents that resulted in the deaths of three Indonesian peacekeepers from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
In a press statement on Wednesday, Security Council members reaffirmed their full support for UNIFIL and urged all parties to ensure the safety and security of its personnel and facilities, as well as the mission's freedom of movement, in accordance with international law. They also called on parties to refrain from actions that could endanger peacekeepers.
Recalling that peacekeepers must never be targeted, they called on the United Nations to investigate the incidents through UNIFIL and keep the relevant troop-contributing country informed of progress, in line with the objectives of Security Council resolutions 2518 (2020) and 2589 (2021).
They also called on parties to fully implement Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) and reiterated their strong commitment to Lebanon's sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and unity, according to Xinhua news agency.
Five other peacekeepers were injured on Sunday and Monday. According to the statement, several other incidents have affected UNIFIL positions and injured peacekeepers in recent weeks, amid ongoing hostilities along the Blue Line.
Earlier on March 31, Spain's Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, had "unequivocally" condemned the killing of three Indonesian peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), expressing outrage at the attacks and demanding an investigation in an interview with Radio Euskadi.
The three Indonesian troops, who were part of a Spanish-led UNIFIL contingent, were killed in two separate incidents in southern Lebanon following explosions caused by projectiles of unknown origin. The incidents occurred in an area where Israeli forces were operating.
Spain is one of the troop-contributing countries to UNIFIL, with approximately 600 to 700 personnel deployed in Lebanon, and leads UNIFIL's eastern sector.
