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STORY: LEBANON / UNIFIL HEADQUARTERS DAMAGE
TRT: 03:38
SOURCE: UNIFIL
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 10 - 16 OCTOBER 2024, UNIFIL HEADQARTERS, NAQOURA, LEBANON
10 OCTOBER 2024, UNIFIL HEADQARTERS, NAQOURA, LEBANON
1. Tracking shot, damage to UNIFIL observation tower by Merkava tank projectile
16 OCTOBER 2024, UNIFIL HEADQARTERS, NAQOURA, LEBANON
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Major Mandy Heeren, UNIFIL Military Gender Advisor:
“In the recent weeks, tension has gone up in the UNIFIL area of operation, and there have been violent clashes and often close to UN positions and close to the UNIFIL HQ.”
10 OCTOBER 2024, UNIFIL HEADQARTERS, NAQOURA, LEBANON
3. Tracking shot, damage to UNIFIL equipment
16 OCTOBER 2024, UNIFIL HEADQARTERS, NAQOURA, LEBANON
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Major Mandy Heeren, UNIFIL Military Gender Advisor
“A short period ago, two of my colleague, peacekeepers got injured by IDF fire. This was quite an anxiety inducing event. So, at the time, I was in a bunker such as this, even though being in a bunker, there were a lot of loud noises coming from outside that you were able to hear inside the bunker. So, this alone was quite anxiety inducing. As the as the fighting is going on, quite close, the sounds are really intense and really loud. And after hearing about my two colleagues getting injured, this was, this made the anxiety levels rise even more.”
14 OCTOBER 2024, UNIFIL HEADQARTERS, NAQOURA, LEBANON
5. Various shots, damage to vehicle and compound of UNIFIL HQ
16 OCTOBER 2024, UNIFIL HEADQARTERS, NAQOURA, LEBANON
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Major Mandy Heeren, UNIFIL Military Gender Advisor:
“You know, my thoughts were with their wellbeing, but also your thoughts switch to your own wellbeing, and your thoughts, you know you, go in a place where you start thinking, hey, am I safe, like are me and my colleague, re we in a safe place right now? because of the events coming so close in such a close proximity.”
7. Various shots, projectile impact being observed by an Indonesian peacekeeper from one of UNIFIL HQ observation towers
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Major Mandy Heeren, UNIFIL Military Gender Advisor:
“Anxiety has been quite high, and due to the continuous events just lining up. It's been hard to find a way to decompress. So, what I found that helps me a lot is the common belief that we all have here as a military unit, and I feel we all believe in resolution 1701, and we all want to fulfil it to the best of our ability. What I've also noticed is, as a military unit, we're all here to look out for each other, so we're all checking in on each other, and we're all trying to make sure the other one is okay.”
9. Med shot, Indonesian peacekeeper looking out from one of UNIFIL HQ observation towers
Speaking from a bunker at the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Headquarters in Naqoura, Lebanon, UNIFIL’s Military Gender Advisor Major Mandy Heeren described recent attacks on the base and said, “anxiety has been quite high,” but “what I found that helps me a lot is the common belief that we all have here as a military unit, and I feel we all believe in resolution 1701, and we all want to fulfil it to the best of our ability.”
UNIFIL’s observation tower was hit by a Merkava tank projectile on 10 October, which resulted in Indonesian peacekeepers being injured and hospitalized.
Heeren said, “at the time, I was in a bunker such as this, even though being in a bunker, there were a lot of loud noises coming from outside that you were able to hear inside the bunker. So, this alone was quite anxiety inducing. As the as the fighting is going on, quite close, the sounds are really intense and really loud. And after hearing about my two colleagues getting injured, this was, this made the anxiety levels rise even more.”
She said, “my thoughts were with their wellbeing, but also your thoughts switch to your own wellbeing, and your thoughts, you know you, go in a place where you start thinking, hey, am I safe, like are me and my colleague, re we in a safe place right now? because of the events coming so close in such a close proximity.”
Heeren said, “as a military unit, we're all here to look out for each other, so we're all checking in on each other, and we're all trying to make sure the other one is okay.”
UNIFIL reported that, earlier today, an uncrewed aerial vehicle of unknown origin approached one of the Mission’s Maritime Task Force ships off the southern Lebanese coast. In accordance with procedures, electronic countermeasures were used to bring down the UAV. The Mission is investigating the incident.
UNIFIL says that yesterday marked the highest number of violations of Lebanese airspace by the Israeli Defence Forces in a 24-hour period since 8 October 2023, with 60 violations. Strikes were reported in areas across Lebanon, including the Beqaa valley, Sidon and Nabatiyeh. Strikes by Hizbullah into northern Israel also continued, including towards Haifa.
In addition, over the past 24 hours, peacekeepers continued to observe exchanges of fire across the Blue Line, with impacts in the areas of Ayta ash Sha’b, Mays al-Jabal, Markaba, Ett Taibe and Raabatt Talateen, as well as continued military activity by the IDF within the mission’s area of operations. Some of this activity continued to take place close to UN positions and compromise the safety and security of peacekeepers.
Yesterday, the Mission observed an IDF tank firing at a watchtower at a UN position near Kfar Kila. The tower was damaged, and cameras were destroyed.
