Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Explosion wounds five UN blue helmets in Lebanon.

26 July 2011 – An explosion earlier today has wounded five soldiers serving with the United Nations peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, according to a UN spokesperson.
The spokesperson, Martin Nesirky, said the blast hit a convoy of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) near Saida, some 55 kilometres north of the UNIFIL base at Naqoura, near the Lebanese border with Israel.

Preliminary reports indicate that five soldiers were wounded, and three of them were taken to hospital.

UNIFIL has been deployed to the area since 1978. Last August the Security Council extended its mandate for a year, until 31 August 2011.