The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has reported an attack on one of its peacekeepers during a patrol mission in southern Lebanon. The peacekeeper was said to have been assaulted by local male villagers in Tabyeh. According to UNIFIL, this incident constitutes a direct violation of Resolution 1701, which was adopted by the UN Security in 2006 with an aim to enable the Lebanese government to gain control over its terrain and reduce hostilities following Hezbollah’s attack on Israel in July 2006.
In the wake of the aforementioned attack, UNIFIL has called upon the Lebanese authorities to initiate a comprehensive and expedited investigation into the matter. The force also demands that those involved in the assault be held accountable. UNIFIL has further stated its continued commitment towards its monitoring and de-escalation missions.
Established by the UN Security Council in 1978 subsequent to Israel’s attack on Southern Lebanon, UNIFIL has been assisting in various humanitarian concerns including mine clearance and facilitation of communication between parties, besides offering support to civilians on the ground. The force’s role was further augmented following the adoption of Resolution 1701 in 2006.
However, recent times have seen the Lebanese government pressurizing the force to limit its freedom. While these demands have not been fully addressed in the Security Council’s resolution, the new resolution does lay down that UNIFIL should maintain coordination with the Lebanese government.
This is not the only incident where a peacekeeper from UNIFIL has been injured. As per an announcement from November, yet another peacekeeper was wounded from Israeli gunfire in Southern Lebanon. Additionally, an exchange of fire between Israeli and Hezbollah militants resulted in a peacekeeper being attacked earlier in October.
A full detailed account of the recent incident can be found here.