Syria rejects accusations it was behind attack on UN troops in Lebanon

[News_Editor]

Syria rejects accusations it was behind attack on UN troops in Lebanon

2011-12-12 20:24:19 GMT+7 (ICT)

DAMASCUS (BNO NEWS) -- The Syrian government on Monday rejected accusations from French officials that it was possibly behind last week's bombing of a United Nations (UN) convoy in southern Lebanon.

The attack happened on Friday when an improvised explosive device (IED) targeted a vehicle with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) as it was traveling on the southern outskirts of the port city of Tyre. Five French peacekeepers and two civilians were treated at the scene and later evacuated for further medical treatment.

On Sunday, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe told TV5 Monde television channel and the Le Monde newspaper that the French government has 'strong reasons' to believe the Syrian government was behind the attack. "I don't have proof," he added.

But Syrian Foreign Ministry spokesman Jihad Makdessi on Monday said the government strongly denies having any links to the attack, which he described as a 'reprehensible act.' "It seems that the French Foreign Minister is now adopting conspiracy theories, which he accuses others of doing," he added.

Friday's attack was condemned by a number of countries and organizations, including the UN Security Council which expressed its sympathy to the injured and their families. "The members of the Security Council called on all parties to abide scrupulously by their obligation to respect the safety of UNIFIL and other United Nations personnel, and to ensure that the freedom of movement of UNIFIL is fully respected, in conformity with its mandate and rules of engagement," the Council said in a statement.

The militant group Hezbollah also condemned the attack, saying it was intended to destabilize the security of the country.

In May, six Italian peacekeepers were wounded in an explosion in the Lebanese city of Sidon. Two months later, five French soldiers were wounded in another blast in Sidon. UNIFIL, which has been operating since 1978, currently has just over 12,000 peacekeepers from 35 countries.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-12-12

[maidu]

Statements by Syrian officials are getting stuffed in the same filing cabinet as statements by Thaksin and his lawyer Noppadon. In other words: 'whatever they emphatically state, you can be sure the opposite is true.'

[Steely Dan]

Statements by Syrian officials are getting stuffed in the same filing cabinet as statements by Thaksin and his lawyer Noppadon. In other words: 'whatever they emphatically state, you can be sure the opposite is true.'

But some will still no doubt make up convoluted conspiracy theories in order to believe what the Syrians are saying in preference to any western democracy.

[koheesti]

The militant group Hezbollah also condemned the attack, saying it was intended to destabilize the security of the country.

Oh, the irony.

Edited December 12, 2011 by koheesti

[Ulysses G.]

'whatever they emphatically state, you can be sure the opposite is true.'

Now that is an accurate statement.

[maidu]

The militant group Hezbollah also condemned the attack, saying it was intended to destabilize the security of the country.

Oh, the irony.

Maybe Hezbollah didn't like the attack because they couldn't blame it on the Americans or the Israelis.

[Naam]

salivating brigade in action