A group of unknown perpetrators attacked United Nations peacekeepers in southern Lebanon on Tuesday evening, according to a UN official.

The “blue helmets” saw their vehicles vandalized and official objects stolen in the southern city of Bint Jbeil, a stronghold of Hezbollah.

During a press briefing in New York yesterday, UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric urged the Lebanese authorities to “carry out a prompt and thorough investigation” into the attack and “prosecute all those responsible for these crime”.

Dujarric said peacekeepers were on their way to meet the Lebanese Armed Forces for a routine patrol. He noted that “unlike some later media misinformation”, the group was not on private property or taking photos.

He added that UNIFIL’s denial of freedom of movement and any aggression against those who serve the cause of peace were “unacceptable” and violated the Status of Forces Agreement between the United Nations and the Lebanese Government, which stipulates that peacekeepers have full and unimpeded access throughout its area of ​​operation.

Relations between civilians and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) have remained tense and clashes are not uncommon in the southern region of the country after the peacekeeping force’s mandate and budget were cut. significantly expanded in response to the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah. The number of personnel stationed in the area now stands at around 10,000.

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UNIFIL patrols have intensified over the past 12 months, likely adding to existing tensions between residents and peacekeepers.

Tuesday’s attack follows a similar incident in December 2021 where a battalion of UNIFIL forces saw their vehicles pelted with rocks by residents of a town in southern Lebanon. Residents reportedly got angry with the peacekeepers after they claimed they had taken photos of private areas. In response, the Foreign Office said it “regrets” the incident and “does not accept any form of transgression against UNIFIL forces”.

Questions about the powers of UNIFIL have been the subject of debate in recent years. During a vote in August 2020 to renew his term for another year, the United States threatened to veto the renewal resolution unless amendments were made to expand its powers to disarm more effectively. Hezbollah and to secure a weapons-free zone established between the Blue Line and the Litani. River. However, the mandate remained unchanged following recommendations from the remaining members of the UN Security Council that maintaining the status quo was a more urgent priority.