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Lebanon 'bomb' kills UN soldiers | Lebanon 'bomb' kills UN soldiers |
(20 minutes later) | |
At least five soldiers serving with the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon (Unifil) have been killed by an explosion in the south of the country. | |
Spain's defence ministry has confirmed four of its soldiers were killed - the first Spanish casualties in Lebanon. | |
The remote-controlled blast occurred near Khiyam close to the Israeli border, Lebanese sources said. | |
No-one has claimed to have carried out the attack. Radical groups in Lebanon have threatened to attack peacekeepers. | |
For the last five weeks, the Lebanese army has been battling militants from the Fatah al-Islam group. | For the last five weeks, the Lebanese army has been battling militants from the Fatah al-Islam group. |
Authorities have said that Fatah al-Islam militants who have been arrested and interrogated have confessed there was a plan to attack the UN, says the BBC's Kim Ghattas in Beirut. | Authorities have said that Fatah al-Islam militants who have been arrested and interrogated have confessed there was a plan to attack the UN, says the BBC's Kim Ghattas in Beirut. |
The militants are said to be inspired by al-Qaeda. | The militants are said to be inspired by al-Qaeda. |
Multinational force | Multinational force |
Sunday's explosion took place took place between the towns of Khiyam and Marjeyoun, near the border with Israel in the area of operation of UN peacekeepers. | |
A convoy of armoured UN vehicles from a Spanish battalion was hit by the blast. | A convoy of armoured UN vehicles from a Spanish battalion was hit by the blast. |
At least three peacekeepers were also injured in the blast. | |
It was initially unclear if the soldiers were targeted or hit unexploded ordinance left over from last summer's war between Israel and Lebanon's Shia guerrilla movement Hezbollah. | |
Hezbollah has issued a statement condemning the attack. | |
"This act of aggression is aimed at increasing insecurity in Lebanon, especially in the south of the country," it said. | |
The Unifil peacekeeping force, which has been deployed in Lebanon since 1978, was beefed up last summer after the end of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel. | The Unifil peacekeeping force, which has been deployed in Lebanon since 1978, was beefed up last summer after the end of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel. |
There are now around 13,000 UN peacekeepers deployed in the area, including French, Spanish and Indian soldiers. | There are now around 13,000 UN peacekeepers deployed in the area, including French, Spanish and Indian soldiers. |