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News broke out on Wednesday that the Lebanese military court has released the accused of killing the Irish soldier Sean Rooney, a member of the Irish battalion working in the United Nations Interim Force in South Lebanon (UNIFIL).
Lebanon’s military tribunal has charged five men with the killing of an Irish UN peacekeeper in December. The indictment followed a half-year probe after an attack on a UN peacekeeping convoy near the town of Al-Aqbiya in Lebanon’s south, a stronghold of Hezbollah. The shooting resulted in the death of Pvt. Seán Rooney, 24, of Newtown Cunningham, Ireland.
“We are aware of reports that the Lebanese authorities last night (Tuesday) released the individual they had detained in the attack that killed UNIFIL peacekeeper Seán Rooney due to his deteriorating health,” UNIFIL Spokesperson to Lebanon Andrea Tenenti said to This is Beirut.
Tenenti pointed out that they are working to confirm this information with the military court and emphasized that “the Government of Lebanon has on several occasions stated its commitment to bring the perpetrators to justice. We continue to urge that all perpetrators be held accountable, and for justice for Private Rooney and his family.”
This comes simultaneously with growing international concern about the situation in southern Lebanon due to the escalation of clashes between Hezbollah and Israel along the border due to the war in Gaza.
Five Men Charged
The Associated Press has previously reported that Lebanon’s military tribunal charged five men with the killing of an Irish UN peacekeeper in December.
The indictment followed a half-year probe after the attack that resulted in the death of soldier Seán Rooney and caused serious injuries to soldier Shane Kearney, 22. The latter was medically evacuated to Ireland. Two other Irish soldiers sustained light injuries.
The indictment includes evidence from bystanders’ testimonies as well as audio recordings and video footage from surveillance cameras, the Lebanese official said. In some of the recordings of the confrontation, the gunmen were reportedly heard telling the peacekeepers that they were from Hezbollah.
Hezbollah has denied any role in the killing, and a spokesperson for the group declined to comment on the indictments on Thursday.
Mandate Renewal
The United Nations Security Council voted on August 31 to extend the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for another year, until August 31, 2024.
Lebanon and Hezbollah had pushed to make changes to Article 16 in the mandate to limit UNIFIL’s ability to move around without the permission of the Lebanese Army, but no amendment was made in the final text. This year’s renewal of the UN’s peacekeeping force’s mandate comes amid rising tensions along the Lebanese-Israeli border.
