The killing of a UNIFIL soldier. Who is responsible and will he withdraw from Lebanon?

South Lebanon is back in the limelight again Attack a convoy of forces preserve the peace UNIFIL In the city of Al-Aqibiya at midnight between Wednesday and Thursday, an Irish soldier was killed and 3 others were injured.

This incident adds to a series of disputes on the ground between international forces and the “people” that moved between different southern Lebanese regions, in which opponents accused Hezbollah of indirectly supporting it, using the people and hiding behind them to obtain political objectives and deliver a variety of messages to the protection forces. Peace with both UNIFIL and the international community behind it.

Although the incidents of attacking UNIFIL members began with the presence of these forces on Lebanese soil after the July 2006 war that took place between Israel and Hezbollah, what is notable about the incident in Al-Aqibiya city is which this time was armed and resulted in the death of an Irish soldier and the wounding of 3 others, while the previous problems were caused by stone throwing at members of the patrol, destruction of UNIFIL vehicles and trucks, the seizure of communication devices without shooting directly and from wounding soldiers, which raises questions about the main reason for using weapons?

Shoot the patrol

And while reports indicated (no statement has been made by the Lebanese Army or any other official party explaining what happened) that an Irish force was exposed at midnight Wednesday to Thursday to an armed confrontation in the city of Al-Aqibiya , which resulted in the death of one soldier and the injury of three others, as a result of their car overturning due to gunfire. he was inside with his mates who were injured, and not because their car overturned.”

The court source explained: “The Irish Armed Forces vehicle is armored and bullets cannot penetrate it, but the back door was open after the incident, meaning there was a chase and gunfire which led to the death of one soldier and the wounding of others”. .”

He stressed: “The investigations continue to find out the circumstances of what happened and so far there have been no arrests.”

Two cars for the Irish Kitty

The judicial source specified: “The convoy of the Irish battalion consisted of two vehicles headed for Beirut, one of which took the highway line and was not attacked, while the other took a secondary road inside the city, which aroused opposition from armed men, so what happened happened.”

At the end of last August, the United Nations Security Council decided to renew the international peacekeeping forces (UNIFIL) in the south for another year. And he insisted that these forces do not need prior permission to carry out their tasks, and have freedom of movement within their areas of operation, which Hezbollah refuses, as its opponents accuse it of hiding behind the so-called “local population” to shoot at UNIFIL and carry out attacks on its forces under the pretext that “its patrols are carrying out actions. filming and moving without the escort of the Lebanese army”.

The incident of exposure to Irish force has prompted condemnatory reactions from local and overseas official authorities, especially since Ireland is one of the politically neutral countries and is not a major force in UNIFIL, such as the French forces.

Macron’s visit to southern Lebanon

The incident follows reports (so far unconfirmed) that French President Emmanuel Macron may visit a “snap” visit to southern Lebanon to inspect and greet French soldiers working within the UNIFIL forces, noting that informed sources told Al Arabiya. clear that “a French official will visit his country’s UNIFIL forces to greet them in the new year”.

In addition, the former government commissioner at the military court, Judge Peter Germanos, told Al-Arabiya.net that “what happened is very dangerous and affects Lebanese national security, and therefore threatens the presence of international forces in the south. “

Reduction of the number of international forces: He said: “If a serious investigation is not carried out and the perpetrators are punished, then Lebanon is exposed to serious international repercussions, and I do not rule out the Security Council’s move in this context if it does it does not see the existence of a serious investigation and could take the decision to reduce the number of international forces”.