Beirut [Lebanon], March 31: The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)UNIFIL saidtwo peacekeepers were killed in southern Lebanon.
The peacekeepers were killed when "an explosion of unknown origin destroyed their vehicle near Bani Hayyan", according to a statement by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), on Monday.
"A third peacekeeper was severely injured and a fourth was also hurt," it said. The latest deaths come less than a day after one Indonesian peacekeeper was killed in another explosion on Sunday.
"Deliberate attacks on peacekeepers are grave violations of international humanitarian law and of Security Council Resolution 1701, and may constitute war crimes," UNIFIL said, calling for an end to the violence.
Earlier, UNIFIL confirmed one of its peacekeepers was killed in the country's south as fighting between Israeli troops and the Hezbollah group intensifies amid Israel's invasion.
"A peacekeeper was tragically killed last night when a projectile exploded in a UNIFIL position near Adchit Al Qusayr," a UNIFIL statement said on Monday.
"Another was critically injured." Indonesia confirmed that one of its peacekeepers was killed and three others were wounded due to "indirect artillery fire".
The UNIFIL statement said they did not know the origin of the projectile but had launched an investigation. "No one should ever lose their life serving the cause of peace," it added.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called "on all to uphold their obligations under international law and to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and property at all times". UNIFIL has reported that its positions have been hit more than once since the start of the latest fighting on March 2.
On March 7, three Ghanaian soldiers were wounded by gunfire in a border town in southern Lebanon.
The US-Israel war on Iran spread to Lebanon after Iran-aligned Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel, following the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the first day of the war on February 28.
Source: Qatar Tribune
