India has expressed concerns over the safety of UN peacekeepers stationed in south Lebanon after they came under fire from Israeli forces attacking Hezbollah targets in the region.
In a statement on October 11, the Ministry of External Affairs said, “We are concerned about the deteriorating security situation along the Blue Line. We continue to monitor the situation closely. Inviolability of UN premises must be respected by all, and appropriate measures taken to ensure the safety of UN peacekeepers and the sanctity of their mandate.”
Over 900 Indian soldiers are part of the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, and are stationed along the 120-km Blue Line on the Israel-Lebanon border.
The United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) premises was one of the three locations at which Israeli forces opened fire amidst the ongoing hostilities between Israel and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah militant group.
The Indian troops, part of the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, will continue with their deployment along the 120-km Blue Line on the Israel-Lebanon border even as the peacekeepers’ headquarters came under fire.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) today attacked the Italian battalion of the UN peacekeeping headquarters in a southern Lebanon town, according to sources. This marked the second incident in two days as two Indonesian peacekeepers were injured in an Israeli fire on October 10.
UNIFIL also confirmed that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had notified it of its intention to carry out “limited” ground incursions into Lebanon, asserting that its peacekeepers would remain in position despite the ongoing developments. The organisation urged all parties to refrain from escalating tensions.