Lebanon: Four Ghanaian soldiers injured in rocket attack

Four Ghanaian soldiers on a peacekeeping mission in Lebanon were injured when a rocket, likely fired by non-state actors, struck their base, UNP 5-42, in the village of Ramyah on Tuesday.

The UN peacekeeping agency in southern Lebanon reported that the incident was one of three attacks on its troops and facilities that day.

The rocket hit the base near the Israeli border, injuring four Ghanaian soldiers, three of whom required hospital treatment. The severity of their injuries remains unknown. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) confirmed that the soldiers are currently receiving medical care.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), engaged in a ground invasion of southern Lebanon against Hezbollah, attributed the rocket fire to the Lebanese armed group, although Hezbollah has not commented on the incident.

The rocket, fired from an unknown location, was intended for an Israeli Defense Force position but fell short, landing within the Ghana Battalion’s area at UNP 5-42. The explosion caused damage to the washroom and troop accommodations, injuring the soldiers.

In a statement on X, UNIFIL detailed that three of the injured soldiers were transferred to a hospital in Tyre. Another incident involved five rockets striking the UNIFIL Sector West Headquarters in Shama, causing significant damage to the maintenance workshop but no injuries.

This marks the second time in less than a week that the Shama base has been impacted, following a 155mm artillery shell strike on November 15, 2024. Additionally, a UNIFIL patrol was fired upon by an armed individual near the village of Khirbat Silim, though no injuries were reported.

UNIFIL has launched investigations into these incidents, condemning the attacks as violations of international law and UN resolution 1701. Despite these challenges, peacekeepers continue to monitor and report on violations, maintaining their positions to ensure stability in the region.

Four Ghanaian peacekeepers on duty sustained injuries as a rocket – fired most likely by non-State actors within Lebanon – hit their base “UNP 5-42” in the east of the village of Ramyah.
— UNIFIL (@UNIFIL_) November 19, 2024