Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, visited southern Lebanon on Wednesday to assess the situation in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) area of operations.
During his visit, Lacroix toured the UNIFIL 1-26 site in Mansouri and the UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura, where he met with peacekeepers who had been injured in direct Israeli attacks and exchanges of fire with Hezbollah. The visit comes amid heightened tensions in the region, particularly following recent hostile incidents targeting UNIFIL personnel.
Lacroix’s visit included a tour of several key sites that have recently been attacked by Israel and Hezbollah:
- The observation post fired upon by an Israeli Merkava tank on October 10, 2024, which resulted in injuries to two Indonesian peacekeepers.
- The observation post where two Sri Lankan peacekeepers were injured in a mysterious nearby explosion on October 11, 2024.
- The Indonesian site struck by a possible Katyusha rocket from Hezbollah on October 14, 2024, causing damage to a vehicle and residential areas.
- The heavy vehicle workshop hit by a possible rocket from Hezbollah on October 29, 2024, injuring Austrian peacekeepers.
In addition to touring the affected areas, Lacroix met with civilian peacekeepers who continue to support the mission's operations in Naqoura. He also held discussions with senior mission leaders, reaffirming the UN's commitment to supporting peacekeeping efforts in Lebanon.
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