The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Lebanon has strongly condemned a missile attack on a Ghanaian peacekeeping position in southern Lebanon that left four soldiers critically injured.
The attack, confirmed by the Ghana Armed Forces, occurred on the evening of Friday, March 6, when the Ghanaian Battalion Headquarters serving under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon came under two missile strikes between 17:45 and 17:52 local time in southern Lebanon.
In a statement issued on March 7, the ministry reaffirmed Lebanon’s commitment to protecting peacekeeping forces operating in the country.
It added that any assault on UN personnel undermines international efforts to maintain stability along the Lebanon–Israel border.
“This attack constitutes a serious violation of international law and the relevant Security Council resolutions, foremost among them United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701,” the ministry said.
The ministry reiterated its “categorical rejection of any targeting of peacekeepers performing a noble mission in the maintenance of international peace and security,” while expressing solidarity with Ghana and the leadership of UNIFIL, and wishing the injured soldiers a speedy recovery.
According to UNIFIL, the strike occurred amid escalating cross-border hostilities between the Israel Defence Forces and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
The Foreign Ministry reiterated that attacks on UN peacekeepers constitute a grave breach of international humanitarian law and called for those responsible to be held accountable.
Several countries have also condemned the strike and urged all parties to ensure the safety of UN personnel deployed in Lebanon.
The UNIFIL said it would investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack, while Lebanon’s government called on the international community to uphold the protection of peacekeeping forces and help prevent further escalation in the region.
The four injured personnel are in stable condition, while the one critically injured has been evacuated to Beirut for surgery.
