Indonesian UN peacekeeper dies from injuries sustained in Lebanon blast

An Indonesian peacekeeper serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) died from injuries sustained in a blast at a base in southern Lebanon, the mission said Friday.

UNIFIL said Corporal Rico Pramudia, 31, was critically injured in a “projectile explosion” at a base in Adchit al-Qusayr on the night of March 29 and later died in a Beirut hospital.

“UNIFIL deplores the passing today of Corporal Rico Pramudia,” the mission said in a statement.

Without naming them, the force called on all entities to respect their obligations under international law and ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and facilities.

“Deliberate attacks on peacekeepers are grave violations of international humanitarian law and of Security Council resolution 1701 and may amount to war crimes,” the statement said.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was “deeply saddened” by the death of 31-year-old Pramudia.

• 'These incidents are unacceptable and they must stop'

Dujarric emphasized that the UN has taken repeated steps to reduce risks to its personnel, including sharing the precise coordinates of its positions and facilities with the Israeli Army.

Guterres "once again, calls on all to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law and ensure the safety and security of UN personnel, as well as the inviolability of UN property and assets at all times," he said.

With Pramudia’s death, six UNIFIL personnel have now been killed and several others seriously injured during the current escalation, Dujarric said.

"These incidents are unacceptable and they must stop," he said, adding that the UN has called on relevant parties to ensure the incidents are thoroughly investigated and, where appropriate, prosecuted by national authorities.

"Attacks against UN peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law," he added.

On Thursday, US President Donald Trump announced that a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon had been extended by three weeks following ambassador-level talks at the White House.

The US-brokered 10-day ceasefire, which took effect April 16, had been set to expire Sunday.

Since March 2, expanded Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed more than 2,200 people and displaced over 1 million, according to Lebanese authorities.