China condemns Israeli attack on UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon

ANKARA

China on Friday strongly condemned and expressed concerns over Israeli attacks on the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) headquarters in southern Lebanon, state media said.

Lebanon’s NNA news agency said Israeli forces fired at an observation post belonging to the UNIFIL peacekeeping force at their headquarters Naqoura, southern Lebanon earlier this morning, wounding two people from the Sri Lankan continent.

Two peacekeepers were injured in a similar attack a day prior.

In a statement, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said any deliberate attack on peacekeepers is a severe violation of international humanitarian law and UN Security Council Resolution 1701, adding that such acts are unacceptable and must be stopped immediately.

She urged all parties to the conflict to effectively guarantee the safety of all UN personnel and assets, including UNIFIL.

"China urges all parties concerned, Israel in particular, to take immediate measures to cool down the situation, ensure the safety of UN peacekeepers and prevent the conflict from further expanding or even getting out of control," she said.

Israel continues its air and ground attacks into Lebanon, while also conducting strikes in Gaza.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid