UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for accountability after a peacekeeper was killed in Lebanon on Sunday amid hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.
The blue helmet from Indonesia was deployed with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon ( UNIFIL ), which reported that a projectile exploded at its position near Adchit Al Qusayr, located in the south of the country.
Another peacekeeper was injured in the blast.
"No one should ever lose their life serving the cause of peace," the mission said .
UNIFIL did not know the origin of the projectile and has launched an investigation to determine all of the circumstances.
Ensure safety of UN personnel
The Secretary-General strongly condemned the incident, which occurred within the context of the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
"This is one of a number of incidents that have jeopardized the safety and security of peacekeepers, including over the past 48 hours," UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.
"Once again, the Secretary-General calls on all actors to uphold their obligations under international law and to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and property at all times."
Attacks may constitute war crimes
The UN chief recalled that attacks on peacekeepers are grave violations of international humanitarian law and of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006) and may amount to war crimes.
