Lebanon says 25 arrested after attack on UN peacekeepers

Lebanon says 25 arrested after attack on UN peacekeepers

Firefighters extinguish a burning UNIFIL vehicle on the road leading to Beirut's international airport on Friday night

Lebanese authorities said Saturday that more than 25 people have been arrested following an attack on a United Nations convoy that wounded two peacekeepers, including the force's outgoing deputy commander. 

UN and Lebanese officials have condemned Friday's attack, which came as Hezbollah supporters blocked the road to the country's only international airport for a second night over a decision to bar two Iranian flights from landing.

On Saturday, an AFP correspondent said tear gas was fired to disperse a crowd that again blocked the road to the airport after the Iran-backed group called for a sit-in.

Interior Minister Ahmad al-Hajjar told reporters that "more than 25 people have been arrested by Lebanese army intelligence", with another person detained by the security services.

"This does not mean these detainees carried out the attack... but the investigations will show who is responsible," he said, adding that violations would be treated "with all seriousness".

The UN Interim Force in Lebanon has demanded a "full and immediate investigation" after one of its vehicles was set on fire in the attack, which wounded outgoing deputy force commander Chok Bahadur Dhakal, who was heading home to Nepal after completing his mission.

UNIFIL deputy spokesperson Kandice Ardiel told AFP a second Nepalese peacekeeper was also wounded.

President Joseph Aoun vowed "the attackers will receive their punishment", and said "security forces will not be lenient with any party that tries to upset stability and civil peace".

- 'Civil peace' -

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said free speech was vital but "if there is an attempt to block roads and attack public and private property, unfortunately security forces must confront such rioting".

The army said several areas around the airport had seen "demonstrations marked by acts of vandalism and clashes, including assaults on members of the armed forces and attacks against vehicles".

Videos circulating on social media showed demonstrators, some hooded and carrying Hezbollah flags, attacking a man in military uniform and another in civilian clothes near the torched UNIFIL vehicle.

It remains unclear who was responsible for the attack. 

Hezbollah's Al-Manar television blamed unidentified "masked men" and said the protesters expressed "their rejection of the attack on the UNIFIL convoy".

The group's ally Amal said "the attack on UNIFIL is an attack on south Lebanon" and that "blocking roads anywhere is an assault on civil peace".

Transport Minister Fayez Rasamny said that the government was trying to bring home citizens stranded in Iran on Lebanese flag carrier Middle East Airlines but that Tehran had not provided the necessary "permissions".

Premier Salam said Beirut would pay for stranded Lebanese to return via other routes if necessary.

Iran said it was ready for "constructive talks" with Lebanon on restoring flights, during a telephone call between the two countries' foreign ministers, an Iranian foreign ministry statement said. 

Israel has repeatedly accused Hezbollah of using Beirut airport to transfer weapons from Iran, claims Hezbollah and Lebanese officials have denied.

Lebanon's Directorate General of Civil Aviation said Thursday it had "temporarily rescheduled" some flights, including from Iran, until February 18 as it was implementing "additional security measures".

- 'Absolutely unacceptable' -

The date coincides with the deadline for Israel to complete its withdrawal from south Lebanon and for Hezbollah to vacate its military positions in the region under a ceasefire deal that began in November and was later extended.

On Saturday, Lebanese state media said an Israeli drone struck the country's south. They did not report any casualties.

The two sides have repeatedly traded accusations of ceasefire violations since the truce went into effect late last year.

Hezbollah has a large popular base in Lebanon, although a year of hostilities with Israel and the ouster of its Syrian ally Bashar al-Assad have left it weakened.

Several countries, including France and Qatar, have condemned Friday's attack on the peacekeepers, as did UN chief Antonio Guterres.

"Such attacks are absolutely unacceptable... The safety and security of UN personnel and property must be respected at all times," his spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said.

"Attacks against peacekeepers are in breach of international law... and may constitute war crimes," he added.

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Originally published as Lebanon says 25 arrested after attack on UN peacekeepers