UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the attack on UN peacekeepers on Saturday in southern Lebanon, in which a French soldier was killed and three others were injured, reports TASR according to the AFP agency.
France blamed Hezbollah for the attack, and Guterres said in a statement issued by his spokesman that according to a preliminary assessment by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the attack was carried out by this Iranian-backed militant movement.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam reported on Saturday that members of the UN Interim Force became the target of an attack in southern Lebanon and ordered an investigation into the incident. French President Emmanuel Macron specified on the X platform that one French soldier was killed and three others were injured in the incident.
“Everything indicates that Hezbollah is responsible for this attack,” Macron said, calling on Lebanese authorities to arrest the perpetrators and “ensure the safety of UNIFIL soldiers.” The UN Interim Force also indicated that, according to a preliminary investigation, the movement is probably responsible for the attack, writes AFP.
However, the militant movement Hezbollah denied responsibility for the attack on UNIFIL members. “Hezbollah denies any connection with the incident that happened to UNIFIL forces… and calls for caution in making judgments and attributing responsibility until the Lebanese army investigates all the circumstances of the incident.” the movement said in a statement.
