Lebanese President denounces attack on UN convoy
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Synopsis
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the recent attack on a UNIFIL convoy in Beirut, labeling the incident as unacceptable. He called for the restoration of order and announced ongoing investigations and arrests related to the violence, which included assaults on UN vehicles and injuries to personnel.
Key Takeaways
- Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the UNIFIL convoy attack.
- Security forces have been directed to restore order in Beirut.
- Investigations have led to over 25 arrests.
- Protests preceded the violence over an Iranian flight ban.
- UNIFIL personnel were assaulted during the incident.
Beirut, Feb 15 (NationPress) Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Saturday expressed strong disapproval regarding the assault on a convoy belonging to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which took place the previous day along the airport road in Beirut. He characterized these incidents as unacceptable and deplorable.
In an official statement from the Lebanese presidency, Aoun emphasized that such acts should not occur again, cautioning that the security forces will react firmly against any endeavors to disrupt stability and civil peace.
He instructed the military and security agencies to restore order, clear blocked routes, eliminate obstacles, and track down those accountable for the turmoil. He noted that authorities have already initiated field investigations and commenced arrests.
Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar reported on Saturday that over 25 individuals are currently detained by the Lebanese Army Intelligence for questioning, with one additional suspect held by the Information Division of the Internal Security Forces.
He added, “This does not imply these detainees executed the attack... but the investigations will reveal who is responsible.”
Violence erupted on Friday evening when a group of young men targeted a UN-marked vehicle, assaulted its passengers, and set fire to three UNIFIL vehicles. A senior UNIFIL official sustained injuries, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
These events follow protests that occurred a day prior over the denial of an Iranian plane carrying Lebanese passengers from landing in Beirut.
Lebanese aviation authorities barred an Iranian passenger flight from landing at Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport, the only operational international airport in Lebanon, after an Israeli assertion that Iran was utilizing the airport to “smuggle funds to Hezbollah.”
