UNIFIL announces that one of its members was killed in a shooting in southern Lebanon
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) announced on Saturday (April 18th) that one of its members was killed and three others, including two seriously, were wounded after a patrol of its patrol came under fire in the southern Lebanese town of Ghandouria, in an incident that the mission described as a "deliberate attack" on peacekeepers.
UNIFIL said in a statement that the patrol was carrying out a mission to clear unexploded ordnance along a road in the area with the aim of reconnecting isolated mission positions, before it came under fire from small arms by "non-state actors". Ordnance clearance teams play a key role in the area of operations, especially after the recent rounds of escalation, it said.
The UN force said it had launched an investigation to determine the circumstances of the incident, noting that initial assessments indicated that the shooting came from non-state actors "allegedly affiliated with Hezbollah", without immediately commenting from the group on the accusations.
UNIFIL called on the Lebanese government to quickly open an investigation and identify and hold accountable those responsible for the attack, stressing that the targeting of peacekeepers constitutes a serious violation of Lebanon's international obligations.
Official Lebanese reactions
In the first official response, the Lebanese presidency announced that President Joseph Aoun offered his condolences to French President Emmanuel Macron on the death of "the French soldier working within the UNIFIL forces." Aoun strongly condemned the targeting of the French force, stressing Lebanon's full commitment to protecting the UN forces and ensuring the appropriate conditions for their work.
The Lebanese president said he had issued directives to the competent agencies to open an immediate investigation and determine responsibilities, stressing that Lebanon "will not be lenient in pursuing those involved and bringing them to justice."
The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) condemned the incident and announced that it had begun its investigations to determine the circumstances of the attack and arrest those involved. Speaker of the House of Representatives Nabih Berri also condemned the attack, praising "the sacrifices made and made by UNIFIL forces for decades", and contacted the commander-in-chief of the mission to see the condition of the wounded.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced on the "X" platform that he had issued strict instructions to conduct an immediate investigation to uncover the circumstances of the attack and hold the perpetrators accountable.
French position and direct responsibility
In Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron commented on the incident, announcing that First Sergeant Florian Montorio of the 17th Parachute Engineering Regiment was killed and three other soldiers were wounded. "The data indicate that Hizbullah is responsible for this attack," he said, calling on the Lebanese authorities to immediately arrest the perpetrators and co-operate fully with UNIFIL.
Who are UNIFIL forces?
UNIFIL is the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), an international United Nations peacekeeping mission deployed in southern Lebanon., established in 1978 by Security Council resolutions 425 and 426, following the Israeli invasion of Lebanon that year.
Its primary tasks are to ensure the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, to restore international peace and security in the region and to assist the Government of Lebanon in extending its effective authority in the south.
After the 2006 war, UNIFIL's mandate was strengthened by Security Council Resolution 1701 to include monitoring the cessation of hostilities, supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces in its deployment to the south, and ensuring humanitarian access, consisting of approximately 10,000 troops from some 50 countries, as well as civilian personnel and a naval force monitoring the Lebanese coastline.
As for its scope of deployment, it operates in the area between the Litani River in the north and the Blue Line (between Lebanon and Israel) in the south, and its headquarters are located in the town of Naqoura.