In a press release, the international command specified that the peacekeepers were injured in an explosion near their clearly identified vehicle in the vicinity of the said village.

Unifil reminded the warring parties of their responsibility to avoid harm to peacekeepers and civilians.

According to a report on the implementation of International Resolution 1701 presented to the Security Council last July 12, Unifil recorded 25 cases of firing on UN positions between February 21 and June 20 of this year.

The investigation added that the Unifil headquarters in Al-Naqoura and UNIFIL positions near Markaba and Burch Qalawiya (all in Sector West) were the most affected.

Last March 30, three United Nations Truce Supervision Organization military observers and a language assistant were wounded in Wadi Qatamoun on the outskirts of the southern border village of Rmeish.

Earlier on November 25, a Unifil patrol in southern Lebanon was attacked by the Israeli army near the village of Aitaroun.

Unifil was established on March 19, 1978 by the United Nations Security Council for three purposes: to confirm the withdrawal of the Israeli army, to restore international peace and security, and to support the Government of Lebanon in the return of its effective authority in the area.

On March 23 of that year, the first troops arrived on Lebanese soil and today it is made up of more than 10,140 blue helmets from 49 countries.

mh/oda/yma