UNIFIL troops briefly detained by 'locals' in Hay al-Sellom

A UNIFIL vehicle lost its way and ended up in the Beirut southern suburb of Hay al-Sellom on Thursday evening, which sparked an altercation with locals and a brief detention of the peacekeepers, media reports said.

The UNIFIL peacekeepers were eventually handed over to the Lebanese Army according to al-Mayadeen television. Other reports said the vehicle was intercepted by Hezbollah members, who “seized devices and cameras” that were with the troops.

“The UNIFIL members were handed over to Hezbollah’s security committee, which interrogated them, especially amid the presence of doubts that there were taking footage with the cameras,” the unconfirmed reports said.

Kandice Ardiel, UNIFIL's Deputy Spokesperson, meanwhile confirmed to LBCI television that on Thursday night, "a peacekeeping vehicle on a routine logistical movement to Beirut ended up on an unplanned route."

Ardiel revealed that the vehicle was stopped, adding that the peacekeepers were detained by local individuals.

Fortunately, they were later released, she said.

"We emphasize that, in addition to freedom of movement inside UNIFIL's area of operations, peacekeepers have the freedom and authorization from the Lebanese Government to move throughout Lebanon for administrative and logistical reasons," UNIFIL's Deputy Spokesperson affirmed.

She also stressed that "this freedom of movement is essential to the implementation of Resolution 1701."

Similar incidents have frequently happened in south Lebanon in recent years, but this is the first time such an incident takes place near the capital.