LAST UPDATE | 4 hrs ago

A FRENCH PEACEKEEPER was killed in southern Lebanon during an attack against UNIFIL.

French president Emmanuel Macron said in a post on social media that Senior sergeant Florian Montorio of the 17th Parachute Engineer Regiment from Montauban “fell this morning” during the attack.

Macron said three of Montorio’s fellow peacekeepers were wounded and have been evacuated to medical facilities for treatment. Two of those were seriously injured.

“Everything suggests that responsibility for this attack lies with Hezbollah,” Macron said, adding that France demands the Lebanese authorities “immediately arrest the perpetrators and take their responsibilities alongside UNIFIL”.

“The Nation bows with respect and extends its support to the families of our soldiers and to all our military personnel engaged for peace in Lebanon,” Macron said.

A UNIFIL statement said one of its patrols was clearing explosive ordnance along a road in the village of Ghanduriyah this morning. The operation was in an attempt to re-establish links with isolated UNIFIL positions. 

While undertaking this, the patrol came “under small-arms fire from non-state actors”.

UNIFIL condemned the “deliberate attack on peacekeepers engaged in their mandated tasks”.

“The work of explosive ordnance disposal teams is vital in the mission’s area of operations especially in the wake of the recent hostilities,” it said.

An investigation has been launched into the incident. It said initial assessment indicates the fire came from non-state actors, allegedly Hezbollah.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the attack “is completely unacceptable” and said the safety of UNIFIL soldiers must be respected by all sides. He confirmed all Irish troops are well and accounted for.

“The targeting of peacekeepers is a serious violation of international law. It must stop,” he said.

The killing of the peacekeeper today follows the deaths of three Indonesian peacekeepers in Lebanon last month.

The three were likely killed by Israeli tank fire in one incident and by a Hezbollah improvised explosive device in another, according to a United Nations investigation.