Brussels: SiltaNews – News Desk
The European Union called for ensuring the safety and security of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) after three of its peacekeepers were recently killed. In a joint statement, the Foreign Ministers of Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, and the United Kingdom, and the High Representative of the European Union, urged all parties, under all circumstances, to ensure the safety and security of UNIFIL personnel and premises, in accordance with international law.
“We reaffirm our strong support for the mandate of the UNIFIL in South Lebanon and call to ensure deconfliction channels remain open. We strongly condemn all recent attacks on UNIFIL contingents, which provoked unacceptable casualties among the peacekeepers in recent days,” the statement added. The ministers called on Israel to avoid a further widening of the conflict, including through a ground operation on Lebanese territory.