New York, March 7, (dpa/GNA) – The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has identified possible perpetrators in the deaths of three peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, saying preliminary findings point to separate attacks by an Israeli tank and the Hezbollah militia.
A UN spokesman said on Tuesday that initial evidence, indicated a strike on March 29 was carried out by an Israeli army tank, while a second attack the following day was most likely caused by a booby trap, set by the Lebanese Hezbollah group.
Speaking in New York, he said the projectile that struck a UN post during the first attack seemed to be a 120-millimetre tank shell, fired from a Merkava tank belonging to the Israeli military.
He said the UN had repeatedly provided Israel with the coordinates of all UN positions, in order to prevent incidents.
The second incident appeared to have been caused by a wire-triggered explosive device, which was probably planted by Hezbollah, he said.
Three Indonesian peacekeepers were killed in the attacks.
The UN emphasized that these were preliminary findings, based on initial forensic investigations, and said official investigative bodies will be set up for both incidents.
The parties involved have been urged to prosecute the incidents, and ensure the safety of UN personnel, the spokesman said, noting that attacks on UN peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law.
Violence between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia has escalated, since the start of the US-Israeli offensive on Iran, with UNIFIL repeatedly caught in the crosshairs.
The UN has had peacekeepers stationed in the border region since 1978.
GNA