BEIRUT, April 7 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon said Tuesday that the Israeli army detained one of its peacekeepers after intercepting a logistical convoy, before releasing him less than an hour later.
The mission said in a statement that the peacekeeper was freed following "immediate and direct contacts" by UNIFIL's senior leadership and liaison branch.
UNIFIL condemned the detention as "a flagrant violation of international law," stressing that any interference with peacekeepers' duties breaches UN Security Council Resolution 1701. The resolution ended the 2006 Lebanon War and mandates freedom of movement for UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon.
The mission called on all parties to respect the protected status of peacekeepers and refrain from interfering with their movements under any circumstances.
The incident comes amid escalating exchanges of fire along the Lebanon-Israel border and follows a series of recent incidents involving UNIFIL personnel.
In late March, three Indonesian peacekeepers were killed in two separate incidents in southern Lebanon. A UN investigation determined that one died when Israeli tank fire struck a UNIFIL position on March 29. The next day, two others were killed when an explosion of unknown origin destroyed their vehicle in a logistics convoy near Bani Hayyan. Initial findings pointed to a roadside blast. ■
