United Nations, Feb 18 The Nepali general who was wounded in an attack on peacekeepers in Lebanon has returned home after he was released from hospital, according to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.
He said on Monday that Major General Chok Dhakal, who completed his term as the deputy force commander of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), went back to Nepal on Sunday.
Dhakal, who was wrapping up his assignment, was injured on the way to Beirut airport in an attack on his convoy on the way to Beirut airport on Friday.
He was taken to a hospital along with a Nepali peacekeeper and released after treatment.
The attack took place where supporters of the militant group Hezbollah were holding a protest against the Lebanon government refusing permission for Iranian planes to land at the airport.
UNIFIL said that one of its vehicles in the convoy was set on fire.
While it has not been established who attacked the convoy, Lebanon’s Interior Minister Ahmad al-Hajjar said that more than 25 people have been arrested during investigations into the attack.
Dujarric said that UNIFIL has also launched an investigation.
He said, “The safety and security of UN personnel and property must be respected at all times by everyone. Such attacks are in violation of international law and absolutely unacceptable”.
UNIFIL was set up to monitor the peace between Lebanon and Israel and its mandate includes helping Lebanese forces establish their authority in Southern Lebanon by clearing non-state actors.
However, Hezbollah continued to operate in the area and UNIFIL was caught in the crossfire between that group backed by Iran and Israel.
In October, Israeli forces moved into Southern Lebanon going beyond UNIFIL positions in a campaign against Hezbollah.
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