Five French UNIFIL Troops Hurt in Sidon Blast
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Five French soldiers serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were wounded on Tuesday, one seriously, in a roadside bomb attack in the southern city of Sidon, a UNIFIL spokesman told Agence France Presse.
"According to preliminary reports, at around 6:00 pm today (1500 GMT) an explosion targeted a UNIFIL convoy along the highway at Sidon," said UNIFIL spokesman Neeraj Singh.
"Five UNIFIL peacekeepers were injured in the explosion. Three of the injured were transported to hospital for treatment."
For its part, state-run National News Agency said the explosion occurred near the Siniq Bridge at Sidon’s southern entrance.
One of the soldiers taken to hospital was in serious condition with burns to his face and shrapnel in one eye, an official at Hammoud Hospital in Sidon told AFP.
The second soldier was slightly wounded in his left eye, the official added, asking not to be named. The third soldier was released and sent back to base, he said.
An army spokesman told AFP the bomb was placed on the side of the road and was triggered as the vehicle -- a troop carrier -- drove by.
The front of the vehicle was badly damaged and several parts were blown 20 to 30 meters by the force of the blast.
Several French peacekeepers could be seen covered in dust near the site of the explosion.
UNIFIL forensic experts rushed to the scene along with Lebanese troops, who cordoned off the area and began gathering evidence.
"We are working in coordination with the Lebanese army to determine the circumstances of the incident," Singh said.
Prime Minister Najib Miqati, who is vacationing in France, telephoned Interior Minister Marwan Charbel and Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi, asking them to open an immediate probe into the bombing, his office said.
Miqati also called French Ambassador to Lebanon Denis Pietton to condemn the attack.
On May 27 six Italian peacekeepers were wounded -- two of them seriously -- along with two civilians in a similar roadside bomb explosion near Sidon.
The UNIFIL, a multinational force which currently has 12,000 troops stationed in south Lebanon, was initially set up to monitor Lebanon's border with Israel.
It was expanded after a devastating 2006 war between the Jewish state and Hizbullah.
The force has been the target of three other unclaimed attacks, the latest in January 2008 when two Irish officers were wounded by a roadside bomb.
In the deadliest incident, three Spanish and three Colombian peacekeepers were killed in June of 2007 when a booby-trapped car exploded as their patrol vehicle drove by.
26 July 2011, 19:16
01
It's a message to the French, Europeans, and the west. But why are messages always sent through Lebanon - the FedEx of the region..
26 July 2011, 19:32
01
Radical Islam and Zionistr regime are to blame for everything bad happens in the middle east.
26 July 2011, 19:33
01
Please to tell you ambassador in Damascus not to visit Syrian towns without permission thank you.
26 July 2011, 20:43
07
Hizbollah has been exposed as a criminal organization created by Iranian revolutionay guards and surviving by brute force of arms, intimidation tactics, and buying useful idiots. Hizbollah has lost all legitimacy but like Khadafi and Assad will not go away before causing the maximum level of destruction. Miqati, Aoun and other useful idiots have delivered state institutions into its hand. Soon all state institutions will be modeled along Syria and Iran and turned against those who believe in freedom and democracy. We all need to be ready and brave to cross the dark tunnel ahead and defeat this criminal organization to liberate Hizbollahstan first, and Lebanon second. Like Egypt and Tunisia, Lebanon's youth will bring to justice all who conspired against our freedom and sovereignty.
26 July 2011, 23:24
11
The inhabitants of South Lebanon as well as all the lebanese should understand that the UNIFIL forces are their last hope for protection.
If these forces are attacked their nations might withdraw them and South lebanon will go back to pre 2006 when Hezbollah could deflagrate the front at will.
Lebanon cannot take another beating so the lebanese should wake up and stop Hezbollah. Kick hezbollah out of your villages and towns because if the war starts this time there will be no one willing to stop it till Lebanon is decimated and for what, for the glory of the "waly."...
27 July 2011, 01:02
00
Another message by Syria and Iran to try to get the UN nations to withdraw their troops so that the Iranian and Syrian Criminal regimes through their dogs in the form of their cheap tools Hezb Ebola and the Palestinian terrorist organization under the orders of Damascus namely the PFLP among others, could regain their bargaining chip, and Hostage Lebanon and the security of its people and the security of Israel and the Middle East. It would be interesting what the Vichi Hezbollah government of Miqati will say about the perpetrators of this yet another cowardly Iranian/Syrian/Hezbollah/PFLP act of terror.
27 July 2011, 01:57
00
Weird how the March14 statement of condemnation the attack was put out 20 minutes before the explosion occurred.
27 July 2011, 03:55
00
All I've got to say is ya 3ayb el shoom. The coward people behind the attacks on the UNFIL don't want us to be helped and protected. Their strategy is to isolate us... Keep on dreaming you fracking terrorists!
27 July 2011, 08:21
10
I simply cant understand how Hezbelsatan lead themselves to believe that they have defeated Israel. The hezbis are a brainwashed fanatical lots who are controlled by Iran, and live in the past.
27 July 2011, 09:06
10
Bigdig, you make me laugh, what defeat in 2006? you mean our 2000 dead civilians + 700 hezbollah fighters + infrastructures damaged for 11 billion + airport destroyed, and on the israeli side just 250 soldiers + 10 civilians and 5000 of our rockets that nearly damaged 10 rooftops? Wake up silly boy, this is not Disneyland, this is Lebanon, and its virus is Hezbollah today, it makes you think it defeated Israel while Nasrallah was weeping at Berri during the war urging him for a cease fire and to bring in peacekeepers, to the interest of the Zionist of course, that didnt finish off Hezbollah on purpose, so that he can fuck up lebanon even more, and that Lebanon never stands on its feet, bravo , the only Zionists are yourself and your master, the great pig of Dahieh , that shouts out loud appearing on screen retransmission of 12212 levels underground sewers, tell me, Hasssouni doesnt look tanned, doesnt he see the sunlight, i thought he wasnt scared?bullshitter i say not pussy, comedian
