The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has announced that its soldiers withdrew on October 22 from an observation post in the southern Lebanese border town of Dhayra, after coming under fire from the Israeli Army.
In a statement, UNIFIL said the peacekeepers at its permanent observation post in Dhayra were monitoring Israeli soldiers conducting sweeping operations in nearby houses. When they realized they were being observed, the Israeli soldiers fired on the post, according to UNIFIL. The guards withdrew to avoid being hit.
UNIFIL also pointed out that the Israeli Army had repeatedly demanded the evacuation of its positions along the Blue Line and had deliberately damaged surveillance, lighting, and communications equipment installed in some of these posts.
“Despite the pressure on the mission and on our troop-contributing countries, the Blue Helmets remain at their posts and are continuing their mission. We will continue to perform the mandated tasks of monitoring and reporting,” reads the statement.
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