Lebanese president vows punishment for attack on UN peacekeeper convoy

ISTANBUL

Lebanon’s president on Saturday condemned an attack on a convoy of UN peacekeepers, vowing that the perpetrators would be punished.

In a statement, Joseph Aoun denounced the Friday attack near Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport, which injured the outgoing deputy commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

"What happened last night on the airport road and in some areas of Beirut is unacceptable and condemned. Such actions cannot be allowed to recur," he said.

Lebanon’s security forces "will not tolerate any party attempting to destabilize the country or threaten civil peace."

The Lebanese presidency also said Aoun was closely monitoring the developments, and had instructed the military and security forces to take necessary action to restore order.

Aoun emphasized the importance of holding the perpetrators accountable, adding that investigations are already underway.

The president further warned against "falling into the trap of incitement and suspicious calls that may lead to further disturbances."

He stressed that security forces will intervene if public reaction exceeds acceptable limits or poses a threat to safety.

"The right to express opinions must remain peaceful," Aoun said.

On Friday, the UNIFIL command confirmed that a convoy transporting peacekeepers to Beirut Airport was attacked, with one of the vehicles set on fire, resulting in injuries to the outgoing deputy commander.

Maj. Gen. Hassan Ouda, Lebanon’s acting army commander, condemned the assault and assured UNIFIL’s commander, Gen. Aroldo Lazaro, that the army would take firm action to identify and arrest those responsible.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam also condemned the "criminal attack" and spoke with UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and UNIFIL’s leadership.

He instructed the interior minister to take urgent measures to identify and apprehend the assailants.

The attack took place amid protests over Lebanon’s decision to deny landing permission to an Iranian passenger plane on Thursday.

The controversy follows a Jan. 3 incident when Beirut Airport authorities did an extensive security inspection of an Iranian plane carrying a diplomatic delegation, sparking anger among Hezbollah supporters who protested at the airport in response.