OSLO, October 11, 2024 (Xinhua) — Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide condemned the Israel Defense Forces for attacking the United Nations peacekeeping forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
“It is alarming that the Israeli forces have hit UNIFIL,” Eide said in a press release on Friday.
He described the incident as a “heinous act”, stressing that UNIFIL has a vital role in monitoring the situation, as well as acting as a neutral force to calm tensions and prevent to cause further conflict. “UN locations and infrastructure are known and clearly marked,” he said.
He urged all parties to respect international humanitarian law and ensure the protection of civilians, calling for strict adherence to UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which aims to maintain peace along the border Israel-Lebanon.
UNIFIL said on Thursday that an Israeli tank opened fire on a watch tower at its headquarters in the town of Naqoura, southern Lebanon, killing two of its members.
He said in a statement, “This morning, two peacekeepers were wounded after an Israeli Merkava tank opened fire on a watch tower at the UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura, directly targeting, which caused the fall, “adding that those who were injured were not in critical condition, and were still in the hospital.
The statement explained that Israeli military soldiers opened fire on the United Nations position in the town of Labouneh, targeting the entrance to the bunker where the peacekeepers were taking shelter. , as well as destroying vehicles and the communication system.
2024-10-12 01:47:00
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