US, France condemn UNIFIL attacks

The United States on Friday condemned the roadside bomb attack on the United Nations peacekeeping forces in Lebanon, calling for an immediate investigation. "The United States strongly supports the UN peacekeeping operation in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) and condemns Friday's roadside bomb attack," the State Department said in a statement. It called on the Lebanese government to immediately investigate and bring those responsible to account for this "reprehensible" attack, the third on the UN forces this year. French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe on Fridayalso denounced that attack, saying: "I strongly condemn the cowardly attack taking place on Dec. 9, 2011 against UNIFIL which wounded five French peacekeepers and a civilian in Tyre in southern Lebanon," the foreign minister said in a statement. UNIFIL has made a vital contribution to the peace and security in Lebanon, he said, stressing that France would not be intimidated by such acts and "determined to continue its involvement in UNIFIL." He urged the Lebanese authorities to investigate and punish those who were responsible for the attack, adding that the security of UNIFIL soldiers must be guaranteed. Five French soldiers and a Lebanese civilian were wounded in the powerful explosion in Lebanon's southern coastal town of Tyre. The 12,000-strong UNIFIL is responsible for monitoring the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions 1701 and 1937, which ended a month-long war between Israel and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah militant group in 2006. "As part of its international obligations under UNSCR 1701, Lebanon must ensure its armed forces serve as Lebanon's sole defense force with a monopoly on the use of force and the possession of arms. All other armed groups should be disarmed, as required in UNSCR 1559 and 1701," the State Department said. The US has branded Hezbollah as a terrorist group.