The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has called for restraint and de-escalation following a series of deadly explosions in Lebanon that resulted in casualties and raised fears of further violence in the region.
On Wednesday, reports emerged that walkie-talkies and pagers used by members of the Hezbollah militant group and other civilians exploded.
The details of the explosions are still unclear, but the impact across Lebanon is severe: at least 32 people have died, including two children and one medic, and over 3,000 others have been injured.
The series of simultaneous explosions also caused widespread panic among Lebanon’s population of more than five million, with medical centers overwhelmed by the influx of wounded and residents pouring into the streets in confusion and fear.
Guterres appealed to all involved parties to adhere to the principles of the 2006 United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.
The resolution, which originally aimed to resolve the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, calls for a cessation of hostilities and the establishment of a demilitarized zone.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, also issued a strong condemnation of the attacks, emphasizing the need for immediate de-escalation and calling for an independent investigation into the bombings.
Türk stressed that the simultaneous targeting of thousands of individuals “violates international human rights law and, to the extent applicable, international humanitarian law.”
“At this extremely volatile time, I appeal to all States with influence in the region and beyond to take immediate measures to avert further widening of the current conflicts – enough of the daily horrors, enough of the suffering,” Türk said.
The urgency for de-escalation was further echoed by Jeanine Hennis-Plaschaert, the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, who expressed her pain over the casualties.
In a social media post on the platform X, formerly known as Twitter, she reiterated calls for restraint.
“Further escalatory actions risk devastating consequences,” Hennis-Plaschaert wrote, also recognizing the efforts of medical teams who are working tirelessly to treat the wounded and save lives.
The explosions occur amidst an already tense backdrop of ongoing conflict in the Middle East, including the continuing war in Gaza and attacks in other regions such as the Syrian Golan Heights and Iran.
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