Forty countries including Sri Lanka contributing to the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon on Saturday condemned recent Israeli attacks on the mission and called for an investigation of the incidents.
At least five peacekeepers including two Sri Lankans in the mission, known as UNIFIL, have been wounded in recent days amid escalating violence in southern Lebanon after Israel launched a ground invasion against the Hezbollah militant group.
Issuing a statement on Friday evening the Sri Lankan Foreign Affairs Ministry said “Sri Lanka strongly condemns the attack at UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqoura, South Lebanon injuring two Sri Lankan UN peacekeepers.
Sri Lanka upholds the obligations to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and inviolability of UN premises at all times.
Sri Lanka Embassy in Beirut is in contact with UNIFIL regarding the medical attention and speedy recovery of the Sri Lankan peacekeepers.Sri Lanka values the brave contribution of its UN peacekeepers worldwide. Meanwhile, foreign media said the 40 countries including Sri Lanka strongly condemned recent attacks on UNIFIL peacekeepers.
The statement issued on Saturday said “Such actions must stop immediately and should be adequately investigated,”. “We consider UNIFIL’s role as particularly crucial in light of the escalating situation in the region,” the countries said in the statement, which was published on X by the Polish mission to the U.N.
The statement also urged “the parties of the conflict” to ensure the security and safety of the peacekeeping personnel “so that they can continue … their work of mediation and support for peace and stability.”Spain, France and Italy had already slammed the attacks on UNIFIL as “unjustifiable.” On Friday, U.S. President Joe Biden said he was “absolutely, positively” urging Israel to stop targeting U.N. peacekeepers.
UNIFIL said that its facilities have been “repeatedly hit” and that Israeli forces had “deliberately” fired shots at the mission’s headquarters in the town of Naqoura.
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