China vows to strengthen security for peacekeepers in Lebanon

China announced plans to enhance the security of its peacekeepers in Lebanon following Israeli attacks on the UN Interim Force (UNIFIL).

Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian said Chinese peacekeeping troops with UNIFIL are "safe now" and that Beijing was "closely monitoring the security situation" in the country, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

"(We) will take additional measures to strengthen security protection of troops," Wu said.

He added that Beijing was "seriously concerned and strongly condemns" the Israeli military’s attack on UNIFIL.

"We require a thorough investigation on the incident and hold those responsible accountable. We urge relevant parties to take real actions to prevent such an incident from happening again. The parties involved in the conflict must ensure the safety of the personnel and assets of the UNIFIL," said Wu.

Last week, four UNIFIL peacekeepers were injured by Israeli army shelling on their posts in southern Lebanon.

UNIFIL was established as interim force decades ago, in 1978, to help restore peace in the region and as a confirmation of Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon.

News.Az