Forty countries have issued a joint statement condemning attacks on United Nations (UN) peacekeepers in Lebanon.
The statement, released by Poland’s UN mission on the social platform X, calls for the immediate cessation of attacks on peacekeepers.
“As nations contributing to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), we reaffirm our full support for the mission and its activities, which aim to achieve stable and lasting peace in southern Lebanon and the broader Middle East, in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions,” the statement reads.
The signatories emphasized the importance of UNIFIL’s role, especially given the current escalation in the region.
Last week, Israeli forces opened fire on a UN headquarters in southern Lebanon, injuring two peacekeepers, following the wounding of two others in a previous incident.
On Saturday, the UN reported that yet another peacekeeper was injured in a shooting in the southern part of the country.
UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti stated that peacekeepers would not withdraw from the border area despite the injuries sustained by five of their members.
United States (U.S.) Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, in a telephone conversation with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, expressed the deep concern of the U.S. regarding reports that Israeli troops fired at UN peacekeeping positions in Lebanon.
