Sat Feb 15 04:52:44 UTC 2025: ## UN Peacekeeper Injured, UN Vehicle Burned in Lebanon Protest
**Beirut, Lebanon** – The outgoing deputy commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Major-General Chok Bahadur Dhakal, was injured Friday night when protesters attacked his convoy en route to Beirut airport. The attack, which involved the torching of a UN vehicle, occurred as Dhakal was departing Lebanon after completing his mission.
The incident sparked widespread condemnation. UNIFIL called the attack a “flagrant” violation of international law, potentially amounting to war crimes. The US Department of State condemned the attack, reportedly carried out by Hezbollah supporters, and praised the Lebanese Armed Forces’ response. Lebanese authorities also denounced the violence, with Interior Minister Ahmad al-Hajjar calling for an emergency meeting to address the situation and promising to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The attack followed two days of roadblocks near the airport by protesters, reportedly linked to Hezbollah, protesting a Lebanese government decision to bar Iranian flights from landing in Beirut. This decision, prompted by Israeli allegations of Iranian attempts to smuggle funds to Hezbollah, has fueled accusations that the Lebanese government yielded to Israeli pressure.
While Hezbollah distanced itself from the attack, blaming “unruly elements,” the Amal Movement, a Hezbollah ally, condemned the violence against UNIFIL.
UNIFIL, established to oversee the Israeli military withdrawal from southern Lebanon after the 1978 invasion, has a complex history in the region, facing accusations of collusion from both Hezbollah and Israel. This latest attack underscores the ongoing tensions and precarious security situation in the country.
First Piper 