Three Swiss military observers stationed in Lebanon are safe. Israeli forces on Thursday shelled the headquarters of UNIFIL peacekeepers in Nakura, southern Lebanon, injuring two UN soldiers.
The shelling occurred in a remote part of the large camp of the UN blue helmet troops in the border area between Lebanon and Israel, SWISSINT head of communications Daniel Seckler reported on Friday. SWISSINT is responsible for the conduct of peace support operations abroad.
The three Swiss officers in southern Lebanon work as military observers, so-called blue berets. Unlike the UN blue helmets, blue berets are unarmed.
There are 13 Swiss blue berets stationed across the Middle East. In addition to Lebanon, they are stationed in Israel, Syria and Egypt. They are also deployed in Jordan, but according to Seckler there are currently no members of the Swiss army there.
The United Nations Security Council created UNIFIL in 1978 to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon. The mission was expanded following the 2006 war between Israel and the Lebanese militant movement Hezbollah.
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