France condemns attack on UN base in Lebanon

France has condemned an attack on a United Nations base in Lebanon which injured four peacekeepers this week, urging for the need of an immediate ceasefire in the country.

On Tuesday, a rocket strike hit the UN Interim Force in Lebanon’s (UNIFIL) ‘UNP 5-42’ base near the village of Ramiyeh, injuring four Ghanaian peacekeepers, three of whom were hospitalised. The attack was reportedly conducted by non-state actors, potentially indicating the Lebanese militia Hezbollah, although the identity of the attackers remains unconfirmed.

In a written statement by the French Foreign Ministry on Wednesday, it announced that “France condemns the firing of rockets – probably by Hezbollah – which hit two positions of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon on 19 November”.

If conducted by the Iran-backed militia, it comes after numerous strikes on UNIFIL bases by Israel and its invading forces, which have repeatedly refused to respect the peacekeepers’ positions in southern Lebanon.

The ministry reiterated its call for all parties to fully implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701 – which calls for the end of the ongoing border tensions and conflict between Lebanon and Israel that began since 2006 – and to ensure an immediate cease-fire to enable displaced persons to return home.

The statement additionally stressed the necessity of ensuring UNIFIL’s freedom of movement to fully carry out its mission, noting that on the same day as the attack on the base, a UNIFIL patrol involving French soldiers also came under fire, although no injuries were reported.

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