NEW DELHI: India on Friday expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation in parts of West Asia after the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, which includes over 700 Indians, accused the Israeli forces of firing at its headquarters in southern Lebanon.“We are concerned at the deteriorating security situation along the Blue Line. We continue to monitor the situation closely. Inviolability of UN premises must be respected by all and appropriate measures taken to ensure the safety of UN peacekeepers and the sanctity of their mandate,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.The 120-km Blue Line is a UN-recognised demarcation line to indicate that Israel had withdrawn its military from southern Lebanon. It separates Lebanon from Israel and the Golan Heights, but it is not an official international border.The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, in a statement issued on October 10 said, “The recent escalation along the Blue Line is causing widespread destruction of towns and villages in south Lebanon. In the past days, we have seen incursions from Israel into Lebanon in Naqoura and other areas. Israel Defense Forces soldiers have clashed with Hizbullah elements on the ground in Lebanon.”The mission said, “Two peacekeepers were injured after an IDF Merkava tank fired its weapon towards an observation tower at UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqura, directly hitting it and causing them to fall… The injuries are fortunately, this time, not serious, but they remain in the hospital.” UNIFIL condemned the attack, calling it a “grave violation of international humanitarian law.”
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