LBCI follows up on latest updates in UNIFIL incident investigations

The investigations into the killing of the soldier in the Irish battalion and the wounding of another and two Lebanese in the town of Al-Aqibiya have not yet ended, but they have reached an advanced stage.

The investigations conducted by the Army Intelligence under the supervision of the government commissioner to the military court, Judge Fadi Akiki, have reached two conclusions:

The first is that the bullet that pierced the soldier came from behind.

The second is that the incident was not a deliberate ambush but rather a result of the movement of the UNIFIL's vehicle outside its scope of work and at a late hour of the night, which aroused the suspicion of the locals.

The security details indicate that two vehicles of the Irish battalion were heading to Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport. The first continued on the main highway while taking the sea road. When it tried to reach the highway again to catch up with the other vehicle, it took several secondary roads, which aroused the suspicion of some people who tried to intercept it more than once.

In the custody of the judiciary, several detainees, including the shooter, who is from Sarafand. Four arrest warrants have been circulated against persons suspected of participating in the attack on the UNIFIL vehicle. Still, until now, there is no data in the judiciary showing or proving their affiliation with any of the involved parties in the region, according to sources.

The investigations that led to the establishment of the track of the vehicle and the identification of a number of those involved are to be completed after hearing to those who are in hiding to ascertain their role in the incident, as well as to the Lebanese youth who was run over by the UNIFIL vehicle.

Work is also underway to resolve some technical issues pending receipt of more reports on the investigations UNIFIL.

 

UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenenti told LBCI that UNIFIL will present to the Lebanese investigators what will be reached later in the investigations it is conducting in parallel with the investigations of the Irish authorities.

Tenenti does not set a time limit to conclude the investigations since the priority is to build solid investigations that consider all the essential details for credibility.