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- By Imran Zafar
- Sun, 26 Jan 2025 03:11 PM (IST)
- Source:AP
At least three people were killed and around 30 others injured on Sunday when Israeli forces opened fire on protesters in southern Lebanon, the Lebanese Health Ministry said. The incident occurred after demonstrators breached roadblocks set up by the Israeli army in villages near the Lebanon-Israel border.
Protesters, some waving Hezbollah flags, gathered to demand Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon, as stipulated in a ceasefire agreement following last year’s war between Israel and Hezbollah. The ceasefire had set a 60-day deadline for Israeli forces to leave the region, which expired on Sunday.
Fatalities were reported in the villages of Houla, Aitaroun, and Blida, with additional injuries in Odaisseh, Rab Thalatin, and Kfar Kila. The Lebanese Health Ministry confirmed one death and 10 injuries in Houla, another casuality and nine injuries in Aitaroun and one death in Blida. The Israeli military has not commented on the incident.
Israel previously announced its intention to extend its military presence beyond the agreed deadline, citing the Lebanese army's inability to fully deploy in southern Lebanon to prevent Hezbollah’s rearmament. The Lebanese army, however, stated it could not deploy until Israeli forces withdraw.
Lebanon President Joseph Aoun reaffirmed the country's sovereignty and called for calm. In a statement, he urged residents to trust the Lebanese Armed Forces, emphasising that Lebanon’s territorial integrity is "non-negotiable."
The ceasefire agreement, reached in November, required Israeli forces to withdraw, Hezbollah fighters to move from the area and the Lebanese army to assume control of the area. Both sides have accused each other of failing to meet the agreement's terms, heightening tensions along the border.
(With agency inputs)