Post by ocelot on Jul 25, 2006 20:41:39 GMT -5
Canadian among UN observers feared dead in southern Lebanon
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has called upon the Israeli government to launch an investigation into an air strike that killed as many as four UN peacekeepers — one a Canadian — in southern Lebanon on Tuesday.
"I am shocked and deeply distressed by the apparently deliberate targeting by Israeli Defence Forces of a UN observer post in southern Lebanon that has killed two UN military observers, with two more feared dead," Annan said from Rome.
The bomb made a direct hit on the building and shelter of the observer post in the town Khiyam near the eastern end of the border with Israel, said Milos Struger, spokesman for the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon known as UNIFIL. Canada is not a member of UNIFIL.
Trapped in the rubble
The other victims are from Austria, China and Finland. A UN official in New York City, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said four people were confirmed killed, while Lebanese security officials said two bodies remained trapped in the rubble.
Canada had eight personnel in the area as part of the UN Truce Supervision Organization.
One Canadian UN staffer — a soldier with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry who has reportedly been in the region for nine months — was believed to be in the area struck by the bomb.
No one connected with Canada's UNTSO mission, known as Operation Jade, was available for comment on Tuesday night.
'Personal assurances'
Annan said the attack took place "despite personal assurances given to me by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that UN positions would be spared Israeli fire."
Daniel Ayalon, Israel's ambassador to the U.S., called Annan's reaction "deplorable." He said the observers were caught in crossfire between Hezbollah and Israel.
Struger said there had been 14 other incidents of firing close to this position from the Israeli side Tuesday afternoon.
"The firing continued even during the rescue operation," he said.
The UN base has been in operation since 1972 and co-ordinates the organization's activities in southern Lebanon.
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has called upon the Israeli government to launch an investigation into an air strike that killed as many as four UN peacekeepers — one a Canadian — in southern Lebanon on Tuesday.
"I am shocked and deeply distressed by the apparently deliberate targeting by Israeli Defence Forces of a UN observer post in southern Lebanon that has killed two UN military observers, with two more feared dead," Annan said from Rome.
The bomb made a direct hit on the building and shelter of the observer post in the town Khiyam near the eastern end of the border with Israel, said Milos Struger, spokesman for the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon known as UNIFIL. Canada is not a member of UNIFIL.
Trapped in the rubble
The other victims are from Austria, China and Finland. A UN official in New York City, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said four people were confirmed killed, while Lebanese security officials said two bodies remained trapped in the rubble.
Canada had eight personnel in the area as part of the UN Truce Supervision Organization.
One Canadian UN staffer — a soldier with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry who has reportedly been in the region for nine months — was believed to be in the area struck by the bomb.
No one connected with Canada's UNTSO mission, known as Operation Jade, was available for comment on Tuesday night.
'Personal assurances'
Annan said the attack took place "despite personal assurances given to me by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that UN positions would be spared Israeli fire."
Daniel Ayalon, Israel's ambassador to the U.S., called Annan's reaction "deplorable." He said the observers were caught in crossfire between Hezbollah and Israel.
Struger said there had been 14 other incidents of firing close to this position from the Israeli side Tuesday afternoon.
"The firing continued even during the rescue operation," he said.
The UN base has been in operation since 1972 and co-ordinates the organization's activities in southern Lebanon.