4 Ghanaian peacekeepers injured in rocket attack on UNIFIL facilities in Lebanon

Four Ghanaian soldiers on peacekeeping duty in Lebanon have been injured in a rocket attack, as confirmed by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). The attack occurred on Tuesday, 19 November 2024, targeting UNIFIL facilities in three separate incidents in South Lebanon.

One of the attacks struck the UNP 5-42 base near the village of Ramyah, where the injured Ghanaian peacekeepers were stationed. According to UNIFIL’s statement:

Four Ghanaian peacekeepers on duty sustained injuries as a rocket – fired most likely by non-State actors within Lebanon – hit their base ‘UNP 5-42’ in the east of the village of Ramyah. The peacekeepers sustained injuries, and three of them have been transferred to a hospital in Tyre for treatment.

UNIFIL Sector West Headquarters in Shama was impacted by five rockets, which struck the maintenance workshop. Although it caused heavy damage to the workshop, no peacekeeper was injured. This was the second time this UNIFIL base was impacted by the ongoing clashes in the area in less than a week. A 155mm live artillery shell hit the base on 15 November.

Lastly, when a UNIFIL patrol was passing through a road northeast of the village of Khirbat Silim, an armed person directly fired at the patrol. No injury is reported among the peacekeepers in this incident.

UNIFIL has launched investigations into all three incidents to establish the facts. The organisation emphasised the need for all actors involved in the conflict to respect the sanctity of UN peacekeepers and their facilities, cautioning that such attacks are a violation of international law and UN Resolution 1701.

These incidents occur amidst escalating tensions, following Israel’s invasion of southern Lebanon on 1 October 2024 during the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, a spillover from the Israel-Hamas war. UNIFIL peacekeepers play a critical role in mitigating misunderstandings and preventing further escalation through impartial monitoring and their liaison mechanisms.

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