BEIRUT — A United Nations peacekeeper was killed and two others wounded when mortar shells struck a UNIFIL position near Marjayoun in southeastern Lebanon, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon said.
The incident occurred late on June 3, with the critically injured peacekeeper succumbing to his wounds early the next morning after being transferred to a hospital in Beirut, UNIFIL and UN officials reported. The victim was identified as Serbian Sergeant Milovan Jovanović of Serbia’s 27th Mechanized Battalion.
Two other peacekeepers, one from El Salvador and one from Spain, sustained injuries in the shelling and received treatment at a UNIFIL medical facility, according to the mission. UNIFIL launched an investigation into the incident.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the killing, expressing condolences to the family and colleagues of the deceased. The death brings to seven the number of UN peacekeepers killed in Lebanon since hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel reignited on March 2.
UNIFIL spokesperson Tilak Pokharel described the event as a grave violation and called for the protection of peacekeepers. It was not immediately clear where the mortar shells originated.
The incident took place amid ongoing exchanges of fire in southern Lebanon. UNIFIL has repeatedly urged all parties to respect the safety of its positions and personnel operating under a mandate to monitor the area along the Blue Line.
Serbian authorities confirmed the peacekeeper’s identity and noted that it was his first deployment to Lebanon, where he arrived at the end of January. He was a husband and father of two children.
As of June 24, no further details on the investigation’s findings or additional casualties from the specific incident were released. UNIFIL continues operations in the region while calling for de-escalation to safeguard its mandate and personnel.
