A United Nations peacekeeper was killed in southern Lebanon overnight, prompting condemnations on Monday after a bloody weekend in which Lebanese journalists and medics were killed in Israeli strikes.
On Monday, Indonesia's Foreign Ministry said the deceased peacekeeper was one of its citizens and that three others were injured by 'indirect artillery fire' in the vicinity of the Indonesian UNIFIL contingent's position near Adchit al-Qusayr.
Indonesia condemned the incident and warned that any harm to U.N. peacekeepers is unacceptable, while reiterating its condemnation of 'Israel's attacks in Southern Lebanon.'
'We do not know the origin of the projectile. We have launched an investigation to determine all of the circumstances,' UNIFIL said.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the incident, saying attacks on peacekeepers are grave violations of international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes. He has called for accountability and urged all parties to ensure the safety of U.N. personnel.
'Once again, we call on all actors to uphold their obligations under international law and to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and property at all times, including by refraining from actions that may put peacekeepers in danger,' the UNIFIL statement added.
UNIFIL is stationed in southern Lebanon to monitor hostilities along the demarcation line with Israel, an area that is the heart of clashes between Israeli troops and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants.
On March 6, Ghana's armed forces reported that the headquarters of its U.N. peacekeeping battalion in Lebanon was hit by missile attacks, leaving two soldiers critically injured.
Israel's military later acknowledged that its tank fire had hit a U.N. position in southern Lebanon that day, wounding the Ghanian soldiers. The military stated that its troops had responded to anti-tank missile fire from Hezbollah, which moderately wounded two of its soldiers.
Lebanon was pulled into the conflict in West Asia when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel on March 2 in solidarity with Tehran, two days after Iran was targeted by Israel and the United States. Hezbollah's attacks prompted Israeli retaliation against the group.
(With inputs from Reuters)