Lebanon’s military tribunal has charged five men, all allegedly linked to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, with the killing of Irish UN peacekeeper Private Seán Rooney in December. The charges come after a six-month investigation into the attack on a UN peacekeeping convoy near the town of Al-Aqbiya in southern Lebanon, a stronghold of Hezbollah. The shooting resulted in the death of Private Rooney, 24, and left another Irish peacekeeper seriously wounded, while two others sustained light injuries.
According to the charges, evidence includes statements from bystanders, audio recordings, and video footage from surveillance cameras. In some of the recordings, the gunmen can be heard telling the peacekeepers that they are from Hezbollah. Hezbollah has denied any role in the killing, and a spokesman for the group declined to comment on the charges.
One of the charged men, Mohamad Ayyad, is currently in the custody of Lebanese authorities, while the other four – Ali Khalifeh, Ali Salman, Hussein Salman, and Mustafa Salman – are at large. The charges conclude that the shooting was a targeted attack, which contrasts with initial reports that angry residents had confronted the peacekeepers.
Private Rooney and several other Irish peacekeepers were on their way from their base in the south to Beirut airport when the incident occurred. Two UN vehicles took a detour through Al-Aqbiya, which is not part of the area under the peacekeepers’ mandate. The peacekeeper vehicle reportedly took a wrong turn and was surrounded by vehicles and armed men as they tried to make their way back to the main road.
Hezbollah In Lebanon
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has commended the charges as an “important step towards justice.” UNIFIL’s spokeswoman, Andrea Tenenti, stated that “attacks on men and women serving the cause of peace are serious crimes and can never be tolerated.” Tenenti expressed the organization’s hope for justice for Private Rooney, his injured colleagues, and their families.
The UN expanded its mission in Lebanon following the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, allowing peacekeepers to deploy along the Israeli border to help the Lebanese military extend its authority into the country’s south for the first time in decades. However, Hezbollah supporters in Lebanon frequently accuse the UN mission of collusion with Israel, while Israel has accused the peacekeepers of turning a blind eye to Hezbollah’s military activities in southern Lebanon.
The charges against the five men are a significant development in the case, and it remains to be seen how the investigation will proceed. The Lebanese military tribunal has a reputation for being effective in holding perpetrators accountable for crimes, and the UN has expressed its commitment to ensuring justice for Private Rooney and his colleagues. The case highlights the challenges faced by UN peacekeepers in Lebanon, who are often caught in the middle of tensions between Hezbollah and Israel. As the investigation continues, it is crucial that the UN and Lebanese authorities work together to ensure that those responsible for Private Rooney’s death are brought to justice.
