The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon announced that four of its peacekeepers had been shot by “non-state-actors” while clearing explosive ordnance along a road near the village of Ghanduriyah. The small arms fire killed one and hospitalized the other three, with two of these wounded seriously. UNIFIL said its preliminary findings pinned the blame on Hezbollah, which Macron soon confirmed.
“The Nation bows with respect and extends its support to the families of our soldiers and to all our military personnel engaged for peace in Lebanon,” Macron said in a post on X. “Everything suggests that responsibility for this attack lies with Hezbollah. France demands that the Lebanese authorities immediately arrest the perpetrators and take their responsibilities alongside UNIFIL.”
The killed soldier was identified as Chief Sergeant Florian Montorio of the 17th Parachute Engineer Regiment.
The killing brought condemnations from across France’s political spectrum. National Rally President Jordan Bardella, an opponent of Macron’s Renaissance party, extended his condolences.
“For decades, UNIFIL, whose sole mission is to prevent escalation, has endured intolerable attacks: may those responsible be severely punished,” he said in a post on X.
UNIFIL said an investigation was ongoing, and urged Lebanon’s government to “swiftly initiate an investigation to identify and hold the perpetrators accountable for the crimes committed against UNIFIL peacekeepers.”
The casualties coming from small arms fire are particularly notable, making the perpetrators easier to track.
The past month has been unusually deadly for UNIFIL, who have cautiously stood by in Israel’s wars with Hezbollah since Oct. 7, 2023. The first UNIFIL peacekeeper was killed last month by what investigators believe was an Israeli tank shell, and then, within 48 hours, two more were killed by what was believed to be a roadside bomb. All three fatalities were Indonesian soldiers.
The Saturday killing occurred despite a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah having been implemented this week.
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UNIFIL is one of the longest continuous UN deployments, first established in 1978 to secure the orderly withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon. With the civil war having vastly degraded Lebanon’s government, UNIFIL has been instrumental in implementing peace agreements.
UNIFIL boasts over 8,000 peacekeepers from roughly 50 different countries.
