NA confirms safety of Nepali peacekeepers in Lebanon; Nepal condemns attacks on UNIFIL peacekeepers

Kathmandu / Oct 15: The Nepali Army (NA) has assured that all Nepali peacekeepers deployed in Lebanon under the UN peacekeeping mission-United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)- are safe.

According to Army spokesperson Gaurav Kumar KC, the NA has been in regular contact with the troops in Lebanon, confirming their well-being. He also said that while sporadic incidents have disrupted daily operations, they have not impacted the safety of the personnel.

“The Nepali peacekeeping forces will continue to follow directives from the UN and mission headquarters based on the evolving situation,” KC added.

There are 877 Nepali soldiers stationed in Lebanon as part of the UN peacekeeping efforts.

Earlier, Nepal strongly condemned the recent attacks on UNIFIL peacekeepers and urged the parties in the conflict to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel.

Nepal condemns attacks on UNIFIL peacekeepers

Meanwhile, Nepal has strongly condemned recent attacks on United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers, urging all parties involved in the conflict to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel.

In a message posted on social media platform X, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed Nepal’s firm stance, calling for an immediate halt to such actions and a thorough investigation into the incidents.

“Nepal strongly condemns recent attacks on the UNIFIL peacekeepers & urges parties of the conflict to guarantee their safety & security.

Such actions must stop immediately & should be adequately investigated,” read the ministry’s post.

In a joint statement alongside 33 other UNIFIL-contributing countries, Nepal reaffirmed its commitment to supporting UNIFIL’s mission, which plays a crucial role in maintaining peace and stability in South Lebanon and the wider Middle East. The statement emphasised the importance of the mission, particularly given the escalating tensions in the region.

The signatories called for respect for international law, including the United Nations Charter and relevant UN Security Council resolutions, and urged conflicting parties to guarantee the safety of peacekeepers to allow them to fulfil their mandate.

Other 33 signatories of the joint statement seeking action are: Armenia, Austria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Cyprus, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Ghana, Guatemala, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Korea, Latvia, Malaysia, Malta, Mongolia, Netherlands, Poland, Qatar, Sierra Leone, Spain, Sri Lanka, Türkiye, United Kingdom, and Tanzania.