Nepal Army’s Major General Chok Bahadur Dhakal, deputy commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), was injured when an agitated crowd attacked his convoy near Beirut at midnight on Friday.  

In a statement on Saturday, the Nepal Army’s Directorate of Public Relations and Information confirmed that Dhakal was immediately rescued and taken to a UN Level-3 hospital in Beirut. The statement added that he is out of danger. Dhakal was en route to Beirut Airport, returning home after completing his mission.  

The attack has been widely condemned by UNIFIL, the Lebanese government, the Lebanese Army, and the United States.  

UNIFIL’s mission headquarters released a statement saying, “We are shocked by this outrageous attack on peacekeepers who have been serving to restore security and stability to south Lebanon during a difficult time. Attacks on peacekeepers are flagrant violations of international law and may amount to war crimes. We demand a full and immediate investigation by Lebanese authorities and for all perpetrators to be brought to justice.”  

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and the Lebanese Army have pledged a swift investigation and assured that those responsible will be held accountable, according to the Nepal Army’s statement. 

Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun also condemned the attack , checked on Dhakal’s condition, and emphasized that the perpetrators will face justice.  

According to Al Jazeera , the attack occurred amid ongoing protests, reportedly by Hezbollah supporters, who blocked the road to Beirut’s airport for a second day on Friday. The demonstrations followed a decision by Lebanese authorities to stop Iranian planes from landing in Beirut, citing Israeli military claims that Iran was using civilian flights to smuggle funds to Hezbollah.  

The United States condemned the attack, describing it as a “violent attack on a UNIFIL convoy in Beirut, reportedly by a group of Hezbollah supporters.” The U.S. State Department said the attack resulted in multiple injuries among UN peacekeepers and commended the Lebanese Armed Forces for preventing further violence.  

“We commend the swift response of the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Lebanese government’s commitment to holding those responsible accountable,” the statement read.  

Meanwhile, Hezbollah appeared to distance itself from the attack. Al Jazeera reported that a statement shared by Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Manar TV blamed “unruly elements” for causing chaos on the Beirut airport road.  

UNIFIL, a peacekeeping mission established by the UN Security Council in 1978 after Israel’s invasion of Lebanon, had over 10,000 peacekeepers from 48 nations as of December 2024. Nepal is the fourth-largest contributor to UNIFIL, with  876 peacekeepers , following Indonesia, Italy, and India.  

As of October 2024, Nepal remains the largest contributor to UN peacekeeping missions worldwide, with over 6,000 personnel , according to UN Peacekeeping data.