Latest news with #Peacekeepers
Eyewitness News
6 days ago
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
African countries must work together for peace: Defence Minister Motshekga
JOHANNESBURG - Defence Minister Angie Motshekga said it was important for African countries to work together to bring peace to war-torn countries on the continent. She reiterated the call to foster stability in conflict-ridden regions during the annual global commemoration of the International Day of United Nations (UN) Peacekeepers in De Brug Army Base in Bloemfontein on Thursday. All the fallen soldiers who fought in peacekeeping missions since 1948 were honoured in a wreath-laying ceremony globally. The country has also honoured the 14 soldiers who recently died in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). "And as Africa, we are the epicentre of instability in the world. And so it's for us as Africans to work together to stabilise our problems for the sake of our children and for the sake of our future. And everybody has a responsibility to make sure that we don't become this continent with all its wealth that becomes this epicentre of which we are," said Motshekga.
Eyewitness News
6 days ago
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
General Maphwanya: SANDF undeterred and committed to ensure peace prevails in Africa
JOHANNESBURG - The chief of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) , General Rudzani Maphwanya, has reaffirmed the defence force's commitment to ensure peace and stability in war-ridden regions. He addressed the annual global commemoration of the International Day of United Nations (UN) Peacekeepers in De Brug Army Base in Bloemfontein on Thursday. Soldiers who died in various peacekeeping missions were honoured during a wreath-laying ceremony, with the most recent being the 14 soldiers who died in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). READ: SANDF to honour 14 soldiers who died in DRC on UN Peacekeeping Day General Maphwanya said their commitment to the mission would not be forgotten. " We extend our deepest condolences to the families, friends, and comrades of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Their courage and selfless commitment to peace remain an inspiration. As the chief of the South African National Defence Force and the entire members of the National Defence Force, we remain undeterred and committed to working with like-minded forces to ensure peace prevails in our continent."
Arab News
7 days ago
- General
- Arab News
International UN Peacekeepers Day: Pakistan remembers 181 of its own lost in line of duty
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan joined the international community in celebrating the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers today, Thursday, the prime minister's office said in a message, paying tribute to 181 Pakistanis who had been killed in the line of duty. The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, May 29, is 'an international day to pay tribute to all the men and women who have served and continue to serve in United Nations peacekeeping operations for their high level of professionalism, dedication, and courage and to honor the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace.' 'In the seven-decade history of UN peacekeeping missions, more than 235,000 Pakistani peacekeepers have rendered distinguished service in 48 UN missions around the world,' PM Shehbaz Sharif said in a message. '181 Pakistani peacekeepers have made the eternal sacrifice of their lives in achieving international peace and security.' Sharif said the international day was an opportune occasion to review the many challenges facing UN peacekeeping, such as increasingly unilateral policies, financial sanctions, growing threats to the safety and security of UN peacekeepers, targeting of UN peacekeeping operations based on disinformation, and the destabilizing effects of new and emerging technologies. In an effort to address these challenges, Pakistan, along with the Republic of Korea, co-hosted the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting in Islamabad last month with the theme, 'Towards a Safer and More Effective Peace: Using Technology and an Integrated Approach'. Pakistan also hosts the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), one of the oldest UN peacekeeping missions, tasked with monitoring the ceasefire along the Line of Control in the UN-recognized disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The date, May 29, for the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, marks the anniversary of the creation of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization in 1948 to monitor the ceasefire after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, which was the first ever UN peacekeeping mission.
Al Jazeera
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Israeli army fire hits UN south Lebanon base for first time since ceasefire
Direct fire from the Israeli military hit the perimeter of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon's (UNIFIL) peacekeeping positions in south Lebanon, the mission said. In a statement on Wednesday, UNIFIL added that the incident on Tuesday was the first of its kind since Israel and Lebanese-armed group Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire last November. UNIFIL said one of its bases in the village of Kfarchouba in southern Lebanon was hit. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli army. 'In recent days, UNIFIL has also observed other aggressive behaviour by the [Israeli military] towards peacekeepers performing operational activities in accordance with Security Council Resolution 1701,' it said in a post on X, referring to a UN resolution originally adopted in 2006 to end hostilities between Israel and incident occurred near the Blue Line, a UN-mapped demarcation separating Lebanon from Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, it added. Any unauthorised crossing of the Blue Line by land or by air from any side constitutes a violation of Security Council Resolution 1701. UNIFIL cited other alleged incidents it blamed on the Israeli army, including being targeted by lasers while it was performing a patrol with the Lebanese army in the southern border town of Maroun al-Ras on Tuesday. 'UNIFIL protests all such and we continue to remind all actors of their responsibility to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and property and to respect the inviolability of UN assets and premises at all times,' it added. Separately on Wednesday, Israel's military said it killed a Hezbollah fighter in a strike on southern Lebanon. 'Earlier today [Wednesday], the [Israeli military] struck in the area of Qaaqaaiyet El Jisr in southern Lebanon, eliminating a Hezbollah terrorist who held the position of the commander of the Qabrikha area within the Hezbollah terrorist organisation,' a military statement said. The November ceasefire ended a conflict in which Israel attacked Lebanon by air and invaded the country, devastating vast swaths of southern Lebanon. Hezbollah's longtime leader, Hassan Nasrallah, was killed in an Israeli attack in September. The ceasefire terms require that neither Hezbollah nor any other armed group have weapons in areas near the border south of the Litani River, which flows into the Mediterranean some 20km (12 miles) north of the Israeli border. They require Israel to withdraw troops from the south and the Lebanese army to deploy into the border region. Although the truce officially ended hostilities, sporadic cross-border attacks have continued. Israel has regularly broken the truce and carried out air raids across southern Lebanon, also hitting neighbourhoods in Beirut's southern suburbs, where Hezbollah retains strong support. Israel still occupies five strategic hilltops along the border. While rockets have been fired into Israel from Lebanese territory on two separate occasions, Hezbollah has denied involvement. Hezbollah's leader, Naim Qassem, has maintained that the group no longer keeps weapons in the border zone, in accordance with the truce.
LBCI
14-05-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Israeli gunfire hits perimeter of UN peacekeeping post in Lebanon, UNIFIL says
The U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said on Wednesday that direct fire from the Israeli army had hit the perimeter of one of its peacekeeping positions in south Lebanon. In a statement, UNIFIL said the incident on Tuesday was the first of its kind since Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire last November. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli army on the incident, in which UNIFIL said one of its bases in the village of Kfarchouba in southern Lebanon was hit. "In recent days, UNIFIL has also observed other aggressive behaviour by the Israeli military towards peacekeepers performing operational activities in accordance with Security Council Resolution 1701," it said, referring to a U.N. resolution originally adopted in 2006 to end hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. Tuesday's incident occurred near the Blue Line, a U.N.-mapped demarcation separating Lebanon from Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Any unauthorised crossing of the Blue Line by land or by air from any side constitutes a violation of Security Council Resolution 1701. UNIFIL cited other alleged incidents it blamed on the Israeli army, including being targeted by lasers while it was performing a patrol with the Lebanese army in the southern border town of Maroun al-Ras on Tuesday. Israel has continued to occasionally strike areas in south Lebanon, saying that it was targeting Hezbollah infrastructure. It has also struck the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut several times. The ceasefire terms require that neither Hezbollah nor any other armed group have weapons in areas near the border south of the Litani river, which flows into the Mediterranean some 20 km (12 miles) north of the Israeli border. They require Israel to withdraw troops from the south and that the Lebanese army deploy into the border region. Reuters
