Ban: U.N. Probing Attack on Peacekeepers, Rocket Launch Site

U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon has slammed the roadside bombing that targeted two Irish U.N. peacekeepers in southern Lebanon as well as rocket firing into northern Israel and said the world body was continuing its probe into both incidents.

 

“The Secretary General strongly condemns the January 8 attack against a UNIFIL vehicle on the coastal highway near the town of Saida (Sidon), outside UNIFIL”s area of operations,” his press office said in a statement Friday.

 

It added that UNIFIL and Lebanese authorities were cooperating and coordinating closely in an ongoing probe of the attack and said Ban hoped the perpetrators would be swiftly identified and brought to justice.

Two Irish military officers were wounded in Tuesday”s bombing which damaged their vehicle on the coastal highway of Rmaileh near Sidon.

 

Separately, the U.N. chief also strongly condemned Tuesday”s rocket firing into northern Israel.

 

“The Secretary General would like to reiterate that if the rockets were launched from Lebanese territory, as is likely, the incident would constitute a serious violation of Security Council Resolution 1701,” the U.N. statement said.

 

Resolution 1701 put an end to the 34-day war between Israel and Hizbullah in August 2006.

 

“UNIFIL is continuing its investigation to determine the launch site,” the statement said.