UN says its peacekeepers in Lebanon came under fire from ‘non-state armed groups’

United Nations observers apparently came under fire from Hezbollah operatives in southern Lebanon today.

In a statement, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) says that its “peacekeepers were fired upon, likely by non-state armed groups, on three separate occasions while conducting patrols around their bases in Yatar, Dayr Kifa, and Qallawiyah.”

“The fire in Yatar hit as close as five meters from the peacekeepers. The sources of fire in the two other incidents were about 100 and 200 meters away, respectively,” UNIFIL says.

The observer force says two patrols returned fire “in self-defense” and after the exchange of fire, they resumed planned activities.

No injuries were caused among the observers.

UNIFIL says that “it is unacceptable that peacekeepers performing Security Council-mandated tasks be targeted,” and that any attack on their observers “constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law and of Resolution 1701, and may amount to a war crime.”