Secretary-General Deeply Saddened by Death of Peacekeeper in Lebanon

SG/SM/21636

15 DECEMBER 2022

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The Secretary-General is deeply saddened by the death of an Irish peacekeeper from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) who was killed in an incident that took place on 14 December in the area of Al-Aqbieh, outside UNIFIL's area of operations in south Lebanon.  Three others were injured, of whom one remains in critical condition.

The Secretary-General expresses his deepest condolences to the family of the peacekeeper who died and to the people and the Government of Ireland.  He wishes a full and fast recovery for those injured.  He urges a swift investigation by relevant authorities to determine the facts related to the incident and the need for accountability.

The Secretary-General extends his deepest appreciation to all the men and women serving with UNIFIL, and he recalls the importance of ensuring their safety and security and UNIFIL's freedom of movement.

UNIFIL STATEMENT ON INCIDENT IN AL-AQBIEH

15 Dec 2022 - Last night a peacekeeper was killed and three others were injured in an incident in Al-Aqbieh, just outside UNIFIL's area of operations in south Lebanon.

We offer our deepest condolences to the friends, family, and colleagues of the peacekeeper who died.

We are hopeful for a full and fast recovery for those injured.

Our thoughts are also with the local civilians who may have been injured or frightened in the incident.

At the moment, details are sparse and conflicting.We are coordinating with the Lebanese Armed Forces, and have launched an investigation to determine exactly what happened.