UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, commenting on the recent attacks on a convoy of peacekeepers in Lebanon, noted that such attacks could be regarded as war crimes and called for those responsible to be brought to justice, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
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“The Secretary-General strongly condemns the attack on a UNIFIL convoy near the Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut… Such attacks are absolutely unacceptable. The perpetrators must be brought to justice… Attacks on peacekeepers are a violation of international law, including applicable international humanitarian law, and may constitute war crimes,” Guterres’ spokesman said. The statement is published on the UN website.
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The UN Secretary-General has urged the parties to strictly follow their commitments and actively work towards the full implementation of Resolution 1701, adopted by the UN Security Council, which aims to ensure a complete cessation of hostilities between Israeli and Lebanese forces.
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On the evening of February 14, a convoy of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which was transporting peacekeepers to Beirut airport, was attacked. One of the cars was set on fire. The deputy commander of the mission, who was returning home after completing his work, was injured in the attack.
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UNIFIL called on the Lebanese authorities to conduct a thorough and immediate investigation into the incident and stated the need to bring to justice all those involved in the attack.
