UN peacekeepers in Lebanon to continue operations despite bomb attack

[News_Editor]

UN peacekeepers in Lebanon to continue operations despite bomb attack

2011-05-31 02:10:02 GMT+7 (ICT)

UNITED NATIONS (BNO NEWS) -- The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on Monday announced that it will continue its work despite last week's attack on its peacekeepers.

On Friday, a convoy of UNIFIL vehicles was attacked near the city of Sidon. Six Italian peacekeepers and two Lebanese civilians were injured after a roadside bomb was detonated. No fatal victims were reported.

"UNIFIL peacekeepers remain determined more than ever to pursue our mandated tasks with greater vigor," Force Commander Major-General Alberto Asarta Cuevas said. "We will not allow this incident to interrupt our operations on the ground."

Commander Asarta met on Monday with President Michel Sleiman, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) Commander General Jean Kahwaji. They agreed in reinforcing UNIFIL operations in cooperation with LAF.

The Force Commander also said that the Lebanese government vowed to bring the perpetrators of the attack to justice. Asarta stressed that it is very important to complete the investigation on the bomb attack with utmost urgency.

On Friday, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon strongly condemned the attack and added that it was more deplorable as it was perpetrated during the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, which honors the men and women who work to advance peace in war-torn countries.

UNIFIL was established by the UN Security Council in March 1978 to confirm the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon. It was reinforced after the 2006 conflict and with the added mandate to monitor hostilities; support the Lebanese armed forces in the southern regions; and ensure humanitarian access to civilians.

In 2010, 173 UN peacekeepers (also known as blue helmets) lost their lives due to natural disasters, violence, accidents and diseases. More than 100 of them died in a single catastrophic event, the January helmets earthquake in Haiti.

According to the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), the UN has nearly 85,000 military personnel, more than 14,000 police officers, 5,700 international civilian and 13,700 national staff serving in 15 operations on four continents.

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