The blue helmets: “Despite our efforts, the military escalation continues.” The Minister of Defense: “UN mission was not the objective”. Tajani: “A hug to our boys”
The war between Israel and Hamas continues to involve the border area south of Lebanon. Today 15 October 2023 a rocket hit the headquarters of the UN UNIFIL mission in Naqoura in which they also take part 1103 Italian soldiers.
And from the government, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto assures that “if there are dangers” our ‘blue helmets’ will be returned to Italy.
The UN complaint: “Military escalation continues”
“We are working to verify where it was launched from – Unifil said in a statement -. Our ‘blue helmets’ were not at the site at the time, fortunately no one was injured”.
The UN mission in which they also take part 1103 Italian soldiers he also denounces “an intense exchange of fire today in various areas of the Bli Line between the Lebanese territories and Israel. “There have been impacts on both sides of the Line. We continue to actively engage with the authorities on both sides of the Line to de-escalation of the situation but unfortunately despite our efforts – underline the UN military – military escalation continues. We urge all parties involved to cease fire and allow us as ‘blue helmets’ to help find a solution. Nobody wants to see more people injured or killed.” “We remind all parties involved that attacks against civilians or UN personnel are violations of international law which can be considered as war crimes,” the statement concludes.
Crosetto: “Situation under control”
“The situation remains the same as in recent days, it is a deflected missile, which did not cause any damage. It was not a missile launched on the base. But the situation remains serious”, Crosetto told Adnkronos. The Fdi exponent assures that his ministry and the government “maintain the situation under control, monitoring the evolution of things every minute. And if there are dangers like those that yesterday determined my choice to return to Italy the Carabinieri of the training mission stationed in Jericho, the same thing will be done. If our contingents were in danger – observes the head of Defense – the choice would be obvious, also because our soldiers are there, in Lebanon, with very clear rules of engagement which do not provide for either preparation or equipment for something different by Unifil, which is a monitoring operation”.
As regards the security alarm launched for the Armed Forces Day on 4 November, Crosetto reiterates: “The institutional celebrations are not problematic, I am thinking and we will think in the coming weeks about the event which is normally held at the Circus Maximus and which sees the participation of many people”.
Tajani: “Solidarity with the UN contingent”
“Solidarity with the UN contingent in the Naqura base which was hit by a rocket today” comes via Twitter from the Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani who recalls that “there are over 1000 Italian soldiers who are part of the Unifil mission in Southern Lebanon. For luck – writes the deputy prime minister – no one was injured. A hug to our soldiers”.
Source-www.adnkronos.com