UN preliminary findings point to Israeli tank fire and a likely Hezbollah-placed IED in deaths of three peacekeepers in Lebanon
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Summary
A United Nations agency official said preliminary UNIFIL analysis attributes a March 29 projectile that killed a peacekeeper to a 122 mm round fired from an Israeli Merkava tank and assessed a March 30 explosion was caused by a tripwire IED likely placed by Hezbollah; UN boards of inquiry will continue the investigations.
An Agency official at the United Nations said preliminary UNIFIL findings attribute the March 29 projectile that struck a UN position to a 122-millimeter tank main armament round fired by an Israeli Defense Force Merkava tank and assessed that a March 30 explosion that killed peacekeepers was caused by a victim-activated tripwire improvised explosive device likely placed by Hezbollah. "These incidents are unacceptable," the Agency official said, and added that the findings so far have been shared with the governments of Indonesia, Israel and Lebanon.
The official identified the three Indonesian peacekeepers killed in the incidents and said boards of inquiry will be convened in both cases in accordance with established UN procedures. The United Nations has requested that national authorities investigate and, where appropriate, prosecute those responsible to ensure "criminal accountability for crimes against peacekeepers," the official said, and reminded parties that attacks on United Nations peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law.
UNIFIL also reported interference with its operations in both Sector West and Sector East, saying convoys were blocked, warning shots were fired, peacekeepers were forced out of vehicles for inspection and two UN radios were seized. The Agency official said UNIFIL had previously provided coordinates of all UN positions to the Israel Defense Forces on March 6 and March 22 to mitigate risks to UN personnel.
The official stressed the findings are preliminary and that the full investigations are ongoing: "Allow me to reiterate that these are preliminary findings based on initial physical evidence." The official said the UN would follow its inquiry process and engage with concerned parties to understand the full circumstances amid ongoing hostilities.
The briefing closed with condolences for the families of the fallen peacekeepers and a call for all sides to respect the inviolability of UN installations and the safety of UN personnel.
