By Yoshita Singh
United Nations, Jun 5 (PTI): India has condemned the attack on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon that killed a Serbian Blue Helmet and injured two others, and called for an immediate and thorough investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Sergeant Milovan Jovanovic, a Serbian peacekeeper serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), was killed when a mortar struck a UN position near Marji'yun in Sector East of the mission's area of operations on Wednesday.
Two other peacekeepers from Spain and El Salvador were injured and are undergoing treatment at a UNIFIL medical facility in south Lebanon, the UN said.
"Our sincere condolences to Serbia and to the family of the Serbian Blue Helmet of UNIFIL who was killed in this deplorable attack," India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni said in a social media post on Thursday.
Blue Helmets refers to military personnel, police officers, and civilian experts serving under the operational command of the United Nations peacekeeping forces.
The envoy also wished a swift recovery to the injured peacekeepers and stressed that the international community "must come together to ensure the safety and security of UN peacekeepers" operating under UN Security Council mandates.
In a statement, the Permanent Mission of India to the UN condemned the attack, paid tribute to the fallen peacekeeper and wished an early recovery to the injured personnel.
It called for an immediate and thorough investigation into the attack to bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure full accountability.
"India reiterates the fundamental importance of respecting the sanctity and inviolability of UN premises and personnel. We call upon all parties to ensure the safety and security of UN peacekeepers, who operate under UN Security Council mandates," the statement said.
India also urged full adherence to UN Security Council Resolution 2589 on Accountability for Crimes against Peacekeepers, adopted in August 2021 under the country's Presidency of the Council.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also condemned the attack, underscoring that all attacks on peacekeepers must be promptly investigated, and those responsible must be effectively prosecuted and held accountable.
A statement by Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, noted that seven UNIFIL peacekeepers have been killed and several others wounded since the escalation of hostilities in March this year.
"Attacks on peacekeepers must stop," Guterres said, adding that they are grave violations of international humanitarian law and of Security Council resolutions and "may amount to war crimes".
In March, India condemned attacks on UN peacekeepers deployed in Lebanon and joined nearly 30 troop-contributing countries to UNIFIL in expressing deep alarm at the escalation of hostilities in the West Asian country and condemning Hezbollah's "reckless decision" to join the Iranian attacks against Israel.
(PTI)
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.
