Beirut, March 15 (Petra) – The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said its peacekeepers came under gunfire in three separate incidents while conducting patrols near their positions in Yater, Deir Kifa and Qalawiya in southern Lebanon.

In a statement issued Sunday, UNIFIL said the shooting was likely carried out by non-state armed groups. The incident in Yater occurred at close range, with shots fired from a distance of about five meters from the peacekeepers.

The statement added that the sources of gunfire in the other two incidents were approximately 100 and 200 meters away, respectively.

Two UNIFIL patrols returned fire in self-defence, and after a brief exchange, the patrols resumed their planned activities. No peacekeepers were injured.

UNIFIL stressed that the presence of weapons outside state control within its area of operations constitutes a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

The mission emphasised that targeting peacekeepers carrying out their mandated duties is unacceptable, reminding all parties of their obligations under international law to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel at all times and to take all necessary measures to prevent harm to civilians.

//Petra// AK