India condemns killing of UN peacekeepers in Lebanon​

United Nations, March 31 (IANS) India condemned on Monday the killing of peacekeepers in Lebanon and said it would seek accountability for the crime.​

Three peacekeepers from Indonesia with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were killed within 24 hours, according to Under-Secretary for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix.​

India’s United Nations Mission said in a statement: “We condemn the recent attacks on United Nations Peacekeepers deployed in UNIFIL, and pay our homage to the fallen Blue Helmets.”​

The United Nations did not disclose the identity of the attackers, pending investigations.​

Lacroix said the incidents were unacceptable and stressed that peacekeepers must never be a target.​

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also condemned the killing on Sunday, according to his Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.​

UNIFIL operates in an area of Lebanon bordering Israel, where Hezbollah and Israel are active. Its mission is to help the Lebanese government regain control of the area from Hezbollah and also acts as a tenuous buffer with Israel.​

India’s mission statement noted that the country had piloted the Security Council resolution in 2021, when it was an elected member, calling for accountability for those who attack peacekeepers. It added that India will continue to pursue action against the perpetrators.​

It further highlighted that India is one of the largest and longest-serving contributors to United Nations Peacekeeping and has lost the most personnel to this cause. Historically, India has lost 164 personnel in peace operations, six of them with UNIFIL.​

Currently, 642 Indians are serving with UNIFIL, including 540 troops.

Lacroix said an Indonesian peacekeeper died on Sunday in an explosion inside a UNIFIL base. ​

On Monday, two Indonesian peacekeepers were killed when an explosion hit a UNIFIL logistics convoy, destroying their vehicle, while two others were injured. ​

He added that the origin of the explosion has not been determined.​

Dujarric said that in another incident on Saturday, a UNIFIL convoy was subjected to six warning shots fired by Israel Defence Force elements stationed nearby, resulting in small arms impact on one of the vehicles.

--IANS

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