UN Peacekeeping Commander Injured in Lebanon Convoy Attack Amid Protests

LBLebanon|

Major General Chok Bahadur Dhakal, the outgoing deputy commander of the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, was injured when his convoy came under attack by protesters near Beirut airport. The incident occurred on Saturday, February 15, 2025, as demonstrators blocked access to the airport in response to the cancellation of a flight from Iran, which left many Lebanese travelers stranded.

The domestic unrest was fueled by a recent decision from Lebanese authorities to revoke permission for the Iranian passenger plane following claims from the Israeli army that Iran was using civilian flights to fund the militant group Hezbollah. In a statement, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) condemned the "outrageous attack" on the peacekeepers, noting that the convoy was violently assaulted and a vehicle was set ablaze.

In response to the situation, the Lebanese army vowed to identify and apprehend those responsible for the attack. Acting commander Major General Hassan Odeh reached out to UNIFIL, assuring efforts would be made to bring the attackers to justice. Meanwhile, Lebanon’s civil aviation agency announced temporary flight rescheduling due to heightened security measures, effective until February 18.

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