UN Chief Warns: Attacks on Peacekeepers in Lebanon Risk War Crimes

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres declared that assaults on peacekeepers in Lebanon could escalate into war crimes.

Guterres asserted that the personnel and facilities of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) must not be targeted, labeling such attacks a blatant violation of international law. “These actions are not just breaches of protocol; they constitute a violation of international humanitarian law, potentially amounting to war crimes,” he emphasized.

The urgency of Guterres’s statement comes on the heels of alarming developments in southern Lebanon, where Israeli tanks recently breached a UN peacekeeping base. This incident marks a disturbing trend of increasing aggression toward UN missions in the region.

As tensions rise, a spokesperson for the United Nations assured that UNIFIL peacekeepers will maintain their presence at all designated positions, with the UN flag continuing to fly as a symbol of international commitment to peace.

The international community watches closely as the situation unfolds, hoping for a return to stability in a region long plagued by conflict.