Today, Thursday, the Lebanese security services determined the identities of the suspects in a shooting incident that targeted last week a vehicle belonging to the United Nations forces operating in southern Lebanon, UNIFIL, after being chased by gunmen, which led to the death of an Irish soldier.
Despite identifying the suspects as part of an investigation led by the military judiciary, the security services have not yet been able to arrest them.
A judicial source told Agence France-Presse that the investigation was able to identify the suspects, but so far none of them has been arrested, stressing that their pursuit is still going on, noting that "more than two people" participated in the shooting of the patrol.
The source explained that the initial data indicated that "the accident was not of its own time," and that the patrol was "supervised" in advance and was chased by a car in which gunmen were traveling, and it was harassed and intercepted at two points before it arrived at the scene.
The suspects were identified through interviews with civilian witnesses, according to the source. He also talked about "difficulties facing the investigation" without specifying them, wondering, "It is strange that when such an incident occurs, the surveillance cameras suddenly disappear from the attack area."
UNIFIL had asked the Lebanese authorities to expedite the completion of investigations and hold those responsible to account.
On the evening of December 14, Irishman Sean Rooney (23 years old) was killed and 3 others were injured as a result of gunfire targeting an armored vehicle of the United Nations forces as it passed in the Al-Aqabiya area outside the area of operations of the international force in southern Lebanon.
Problems occur from time to time, the latest of which was 3 weeks ago between UNIFIL patrols and Hezbollah supporters, but they rarely escalate, and the Lebanese authorities quickly contain them.
Hezbollah - which is considered the most influential in the south of the country - hastened to console UNIFIL, calling, through an official, not to involve the party in the "unintended" incident.
The body of the soldier was transferred to Ireland, and the soldier, who was in critical condition, was transferred to his country to complete treatment.