UN probing death of one of its peacekeepers in Lebanon

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) is investigating the death of a Ghanaian peacekeeper who was fatally shot during a scuffle initiated by Kurdish migrants on Saturday.

The incident occurred at the UN position at the Ras Naqoura crossing between Israel and Lebanon, according to a spokesman for the world body.

Since August 2001, UN peacekeepers have been providing shelter, food, and medical assistance to a group of 46 Iraqi Kurds who had crossed illegally from Lebanon to Israel, and were consequently returned by the Israeli Army to the Lebanese side.

Last October a number of them were repatriated to Iraq by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR). The remaining group has insisted on being resettled in a third country. Since early November, they have resorted to violent acts against UN property at the crossing and have also blocked UN vehicles and personnel, preventing any traffic from moving through this crossing point, spokesman Fred Eckhard reported.