LBCI sources debunk occurrence of virtual meeting between Hezbollah, UNIFIL

Less than twenty-four hours had passed since the Irish investigators' arrival to Lebanon to investigate the Al-Aqibya incident, in which a group of young men opened fire on an Irish patrol on Wednesday evening, and one Irish UNIFIL soldier was killed.

A Lebanese official paid the first visit to Hammoud Hospital in Sidon, where three wounded members of the Irish patrol received treatment after being injured in the abovementioned incident.

However, information obtained by LBCI confirmed that Caretaker Defense Minister Maurice Selim visited one injured Irishman in Hammoud Hospital but was unable to speak with him because of the man's grave condition—he was still experiencing head bleeding from an injury sustained during the incident.

Security sources following up on the investigation told LBCI that the Minister's visit to the hospital was crucial for two reasons:
First, due to restrictions placed by UNIFIL forces and the Irish patrol, the Lebanese army investigating the incident has not yet been able to hear the testimony of the injured soldiers.

The second reason is that Selim's visit to the hospital came after expressing his condolences at the headquarters of the Irish battalion in the southern town of Tiri, in the presence of UNIFIL commander-in-chief Gen. Aroldo Lazaro and the Irish ambassador to Egypt and Lebanon. So, The investigation into the Al-Aqibya incident has been the subject of extensive discussion between the Lebanese government and UNIFIL forces.

In this context, security sources revealed to LBCI that there are two main obstacles to the Lebanese army's investigation:
The first one has to do with UNIFIL. It involves deciding who will conduct the investigation, based on listening to the injured, and if the army will do this in coordination with UNIFIL or vice versa, or if the army and UNIFIL will conduct a joint investigation simultaneously.

In this regard, the sources suggest that the army will undertake the investigation, given that the incident occurred outside the southern Litani area, outside the scope of UNIFIL's work. In this context, the two sides will adhere to the terms of the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) that Lebanon and UNIFIL signed.

The second obstacle that prevents the army's investigation is the failure to arrest any of the shooters because, according to security sources, they are hiding, and the Lebanese army did not complete the investigation.

After the Irish delegation arrives, it is expected that the investigation's impasse will end.

Security sources also disclosed that there were 18 members of the Irish delegation, including military police officers, forensic investigators, and some doctors.

Furthermore, after the Irish investigators speak with the three injured at Hammoud Hospital, a clearer picture will emerge.

On the other hand, sources indicated that the planned condolence visit from a senior Hezbollah delegation to the UNIFIL commander had been postponed to a later date rather than canceled.

Therefore, the information about the UNIFIL commander and a leader from the party having a virtual meeting via Zoom is just false rumors and leaks that have nothing to do with reality.