Summary The development comes amid intensifying exchanges of fire between the Israeli military in southern Lebanon and Hezbollah fighters who are not part of Lebanese army
DUBAI (Reuters) – A UN peacekeeper in Lebanon died on Thursday from wounds sustained when mortar shells hit his position near Marjayoun in southeastern Lebanon late the previous night, the UN peacekeeping mission UNIFIL said.
UNIFIL, which did not say where the shells originated, said two other peacekeepers were wounded and that it had opened an investigation into the incident.
The development comes amid intensifying exchanges of fire between the Israeli military in southern Lebanon and Hezbollah fighters who are not part of Lebanese army.
“Deliberate attacks on peacekeepers are grave violations of international humanitarian law and of Security Council Resolution 1701, and may amount to war crimes,” UNIFIL stressed.
The attack came hours ahead of a US-announced ceasefire renewal agreement between Lebanon and Israel on Wednesday.
The Serbian authorities have confirmed that the peacekeeper was a Serbian national who had received emergency medical care after his base came under attack. He was then helicoptered to a Beirut hospital where he died.
