MEA, MoD watchful as UN force in Lebanon comes under Israel attack

New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs is in regular consultation with the Ministry of Defence over the welfare of Indian troops deployed in the UNIFIL mission in Lebanon that recently came under Israeli attack.

The two ministries are constantly monitoring the ground situation while India has aligned itself with a Polish-led joint statement in the UN on peacekeepers in Lebanon.

MEA is giving highest importance to the welfare of Indian troops in UNIFIL and is coordinating with MoD on the matter, ET has learnt. Highly placed sources told ET that the situation is volatile and constantly evolving. Israel is weighing various battlefield options till the US elections in November.


On Sunday, UNIFIL issued a statement seeking "explanation from the Israeli Defence Forces" for what it described as "shocking violations" of Blue Line. UNIFIL stated that Israeli tanks forcibly entered UNIFIL position and denied a logistical movement of UNIFIL. Peacekeepers have also suffered injuries.

"Breaching and entering a UN position is a further flagrant violation of international law and Security Council resolution 1701 (2006). Any deliberate attack on peacekeepers is a grave violation of international humanitarian law and resolution 1701. UNIFIL's mandate provides for its freedom of movement in its area of operations, and any restriction on this is a violation of resolution 1701," according to a strongly-worded UNIFIL statement.

On Saturday, India decided to back a joint statement by the 34 troop-contributing nations to the UN to condemn Israel's attacks.