The UN Secretary-General voiced Wednesday deep concern and called for maximum restraint after a fresh wave of deadly communication devices detonations across Lebanon.
“The Secretary-General is deeply alarmed by reports that a large number of communication devices exploded across Lebanon, as well as in Syria, on 17 and 18 September, killing at least eleven people, including children, and injuring thousands,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.
International media reported that walkie-talkies used blew up on Wednesday, a day after hundreds of pagers across the country exploded simultaneously.
“The Secretary-General urges all concerned actors to exercise maximum restraint to avert any further escalation,” the statement said.
The UN chief also called for the parties to recommit to the full implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) and immediately return to a cessation of hostilities to restore stability.
Adopted in August 2006, the re
solution aimed at ending the war that erupted that year between Israel and Hezbollah, on Lebanese soil. It calls for an end to hostilities, the withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces, and the establishment of a demilitarized zone.
The statement concluded by saying the UN “supports all diplomatic and political efforts to end the violence that threatens to engulf the region.” The device detonations are occurring against the backdrop of the war in Gaza and attacks last year in Lebanon, the Syrian Golan Heights and Iran, linked to the conflict.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, also issued a statement deploring the widespread simultaneous explosions and stressing the need for de-escalation.
“At this extremely volatile time, I appeal to all States with influence in the region and beyond to take immediate measures to avert further widening of the current conflicts – enough of the daily horrors, enough of the suffering,” he said.
“It is high time leaders stepped up in defense of the rights
of all people to live in peace and security. The protection of civilians must be the paramount priority. De-escalation is today more crucial than ever.” Turk made it clear that the “simultaneous targeting of thousands of individuals, whether civilians or members of armed groups, without knowledge as to who was in possession of the targeted devices, their location and their surroundings at the time of the attack, violates international human rights law and, to the extent applicable, international humanitarian law.” The UN official called for an independent, thorough and transparent investigation and for those who ordered and carried out the attacks to be held to account.
Source: Kuwait News Agency
