Two Indonesian peacekeepers were killed in southern Lebanon on Monday when an explosion of unknown origin destroyed their vehicle, the UN agency responsible for policing the area has reported. A third peacekeeper was severely injured, and a fourth also sustained injuries.
This incident follows another fatal situation just a day prior, where an Indonesian peacekeeper was killed by a projectile in Adchit Al Qusayr, also in southern Lebanon. Unifil has stated it is conducting investigations to identify what caused these tragic events.
The timing of these incidents coincides with increased military operations by the Israeli military against the armed group Hezbollah, which has been retaliating with rocket attacks in light of ongoing US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Unifil extended its condolences to the families of the fallen peacekeepers and stressed that international law mandates all parties to ensure the safety of UN personnel. Furthermore, they highlighted that deliberate attacks on peacekeepers are serious violations of humanitarian law.
This peacekeeping force, established by the UN Security Council in 1978, serves as a buffer along the de facto border between Lebanon and Israel, known as the Blue Line. Since its establishment, around 339 peacekeepers have unfortunately lost their lives. The current conflict has already resulted in 1,238 fatalities in Lebanon, including 124 children, despite a ceasefire that was brokered in November 2024.
