UN force in Lebanon urges swift probe into Irish peacekeeper’s death

Naqura – The United Nations’ peacekeeping force in Lebanon on Friday urged Beirut to ensure a “speedy” investigation into an Irish soldier’s shooting death in the country’s south this week.

The convoy of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) came under fire late Wednesday near the village of Al-Aqbiya, the Irish military said, wounding three other personnel.

UNIFIL acts as a buffer between Lebanon and Israel, neighbours which remain technically at war. The force operates near the border, while Lebanon’s south is a stronghold of Iran-backed group Hezbollah.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and army chief Joseph Aoun visited the UNIFIL headquarters in the border town of Naqura, denouncing the attack that claimed private Sean Rooney’s life.

Force spokesman Andrea Tenenti called it “a very serious incident” and told reporters it was “important” for the Lebanese authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice.

“It is a crime against the international community, against peacekeepers who are here… to maintain stability,” he added.

It is the first death of a UNIFIL member in a violent incident in Lebanon since January 2015, when a Spanish peacekeeper was killed by Israeli fire.

“Peacekeepers are continuing with their activities and patrolling,” Tenenti added.

The flags of the force and its member countries were flying at half mast at the UNIFIL base, an AFP correspondent said, while one critically wounded soldier was still in intensive care.

UNIFIL was set up in 1978 to monitor the withdrawal of Israeli forces after they invaded Lebanon in reprisal for a Palestinian attack.

Israel withdrew from south Lebanon in 2000 but fought a devastating 2006 war with Hezbollah and its allies.

UNIFIL was beefed up to oversee the ceasefire that ended the 2006 conflict, and now counts nearly 10,000 troops.

– Bullet to the head –

Witnesses said villagers in the Al-Aqbiya area blocked Rooney’s vehicle after it took a road along the Mediterranean coast not normally used by the United Nations force.

Al-Aqbiya is just outside UNIFIL’s area of operations, the force said.

A Lebanese judicial source told AFP that the peacekeeper was killed by a bullet to the head when seven projectiles pierced the vehicle.

The soldier was hit through his seat from behind, while the three others were hurt when the vehicle hit a pylon and overturned, the source added.

Following a meeting in Naqura on Friday with UNIFIL commander Major General Aroldo Lazaro Saenz, premier Mikati said “the investigation continues in order to determine the circumstances of the incident”.

Mikati said it was “important” to prevent similar attacks, and promised “those who will be proven guilty will be punished”.

A spokesman for Ireland’s army told AFP a specialist team was expected in Lebanon on Saturday to examine the circumstances of Wednesday’s attack.

Over the years, there have been a number of incidents between Hezbollah supporters and the UN force in border areas loyal to the armed group, but rarely have such incidents escalated.

Wafic Safa, Hezbollah’s security chief, told Lebanon’s LBCI television on Thursday that the incident was “unintentional” and called for investigators to be given time to establish the facts.

He urged for the group not to be “dragged into” the incident.

Relations between UNIFIL and communities in south Lebanon have always been “very positive”, the force’s spokesman Tenenti said Friday.

“The support of the communities is paramount in order for us to implement our mandate,” he added.