Hezbollah condemns attack on UN peacekeepers in south Lebanon

[News_Editor]

Hezbollah condemns attack on UN peacekeepers in south Lebanon

2011-07-28 01:43:00 GMT+7 (ICT)

BEIRUT (BNO NEWS) -- The Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah condemned on Wednesday the attack that targeted the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) convoy on Tuesday in southern Lebanon.

According to the Daily Star, a statement released by Hezbollah's Public Relations office urged the concerned Lebanese authorities to investigate the bomb blast in order to punish the perpetrators. Hezbollah described the attack that targeted the convoy belonging to the French contingent as an "unacceptable criminal act."

The bomb blast on Tuesday hit a convoy of the UNIFIL near Sidon, 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of the capital Beirut and 55 kilometers (34 miles) north of the UNIFIL base at Naqoura, near the Lebanese border with Israel. According to reports, five soldiers were wounded and three of them were taken to a hospital.

The attack is the second assault on UNIFIL peacekeepers since late May when a roadside bomb injured six Italian peacekeepers and two Lebanese civilians.

UNIFIL has been deployed to the area since 1978 when tension along the Israel-Lebanon border increased. UNIFIL was originally created to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, restore international peace and security and assist the Lebanese Government in restoring its effective authority in the area.

Since the 2006 summer war between Lebanon and Israel, UNIFIL has around 12,000 troops and naval personnel in Lebanon. The Security Council enhanced the Force to monitor the cessation of hostilities, accompany and support the Lebanese armed forces as they deploy throughout the south of Lebanon and extend its assistance to help ensure humanitarian access to civilian populations and the voluntary and safe return of displaced persons.

As of March 2011, 293 UNIFIL personnel have been killed in Lebanon, including 277 troops, two military observers, eight international civilians and six local civilians. Last August the Security Council extended UNIFIL's mandate for at least one year, until August 31, 2011.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-07-28

[kuffki]

Well, thats nice of them to condemn it. Though i would not be surprised if they were the ones who carried out the attacks

[Ulysses G.]

Hypocrites.

[koheesti]

I wonder what their game is? Who else would attack the UN there if not Hezbollah or another group close to them?

[Steely Dan]

It's a long shot, but Al-Qaeda have got as far as the Gaza strip and sometimes even embarrass Hamas, is it possible they have got as far as Southern Lebanon?

[Colin Yai]

Hypocrites.

Hypocrites just about sums it up ,did I read somewhere that with Iran's financial help they want to wipe Israel off the face of the earth?.