French FM condemns attack on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon

French FM condemns attack on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe on Friday condemned a bomb attack in Lebanon which wounded five French peacekeepers.

A bomb exploded Friday morning near a peacekeeping patrol of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and hit the jeep carrying the French peacekeepers in the southern coastal town of Tyre.

Five French soldiers and a Lebanese civilian were wounded in the powerful explosion.

"I strongly condemn the cowardly attack taking place on Dec. 9, 2011 against UNIFIL which wounded five French peacekeepers and a civilian in Tyre in southern Lebanon," the foreign minister said in a statement.

UNIFIL has made a vital contribution to the peace and security in Lebanon, he said, stressing that France would not be intimidated by such acts and "determined to continue its involvement in UNIFIL."

He urged the Lebanese authorities to investigate and punish those who were responsible for the attack, adding that the security of UNIFIL soldiers must be guaranteed.

UNIFIL, with 12,000 peacekeepers deployed in Lebanon, is responsible for monitoring the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions 1701 and 1937, which ended the 34-day conflict and monitoring the cease-fire between Lebanon and Israel.

The bomb attack is the third of its kind on the UNIFIL forces deployed to keep peace along Lebanon's southern frontier with Israel.

Editor: Deng Shasha

English.news.cn   2011-12-10 13:29:33              
PARIS, Dec. 9 (Xinhua)