BEIRUT: The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon said Sunday that one of its members was wounded by an Israeli grenade dropped near a UN position in the country&#39;s south, the third incident of its kind in just over a month. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has been working with the Lebanese army to support a November ceasefire that sought to end more than a year of hostilities between Israel and militant group Hezbollah that culminated in two months of open war. &quot;Just before noon yesterday, an Israeli drone dropped a grenade that exploded near a UNIFIL position&quot; in Kfar Kela, the force said in a statement published on Sunday. &quot;One peacekeeper was lightly injured and received medical assistance.&quot; Earlier this month, UNIFIL said Israeli drones had dropped multiple grenades near peacekeepers providing security for workers clearing rubble left over from the war. And in a similar episode in September, UNIFIL said Israeli drones had dropped four grenades near peacekeepers, with Israel insisting at the time that there had been &quot;no intentional fire&quot; directed at the force. UNIFIL said Saturday&#39;s incident represented &quot;another serious violation of resolution 1701 and concerning disregard for the safety of peacekeepers&quot;. UN Security Council Resolution 1701 ended a 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah and formed the basis of the November ceasefire. Under the US-brokered ceasefire, Hezbollah and Israel were both required to withdraw from south Lebanon, while UNIFIL deployed there alongside the Lebanese military, in part to help dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure. Israel has kept up regular strikes in Lebanon on what it says are Hezbollah targets despite the truce, and has maintained its troops in five locations it deems strategic. &quot;We again call on the (Israeli army) to cease attacks on or near peacekeepers, who are working to rebuild the stability that both Israel and Lebanon have committed to restore,&quot; the UN peacekeeping force said. UNIFIL has been deployed since 1978 to separate Israel and Lebanon, and numbers some 10,000 personnel from almost 50 countries. In August, the Security Council voted to end UNIFIL&#39;s mission in 2027.

Firefighters douse the flames at the site of an overnight Israeli strike in Al-Msayleh area in southern Lebanon on October 11, 2025.

Middle East

A UN peacekeeper in Lebanon was lightly injured by an Israeli grenade near a UNIFIL position, marking the third such incident in just over a month.

UN force in Lebanon says peacekeeper wounded by Israeli grenade

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is a major contributor to peacekeeping missions worldwide, with a long record of involvement in critical operations.&nbsp; The International Day of Peace, observed annually on September 21, was established by the United Nations in 1981 to draw global attention to peace and the resolution of conflicts.&nbsp; Pakistan&#39;s first UN peacekeeping mission was in the Congo from 1960 to 1964, where around 400 troops provided vital logistical support, including troop movements, weapons handling, and ration distribution, as per the NUST Journal of International Peace and Stability. Their efforts helped de-escalate tensions during an unstable political period and were praised internationally.&nbsp; Operations in Somalia, 1992-95One of Pakistan&#39;s most notable roles was in Somalia during the UNOSOM I and II missions. Pakistani troops were among the first to deploy in 1992, playing an important role in securing humanitarian aid deliveries and providing security across Mogadishu and other regions. Pakistani troops suffered heavy losses on June 5, 1993, when the peacekeepers were attacked during the Battle of Mogadishu. The confrontation was triggered by an attempt to shut down Radio Mogadishu, run by the Somali National Alliance (SNA). Despite heavy losses, Pakistani troops played a key role in the rescue of stranded US Rangers in the &quot;Black Hawk Down&quot; incident, earning praise for their courage and tenacity. Peacekeeping in BosniaFrom 1994, Pakistan deployed some 3,000 troops to Bosnia and Croatia as part of the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR). Pakistani forces helped protect safe areas, provided humanitarian aid, and guarded civilians from ethnic violence.&nbsp; Six Pakistani peacekeepers died, and one officer was taken hostage during the conflict.&nbsp;Sierra LeoneBetween 1999 and 2005, Pakistan contributed around 4,000 troops to Sierra Leone, according to the UN. The peacekeeping troops supported disarmament, demobilization, and the peaceful conduct of the 2002 elections. Their efforts included rebuilding infrastructure and providing medical aid.&nbsp; Current deployment&nbsp;Today, Pakistan remains one of the largest contributors to UN peacekeeping. It has participated in over 41 peacekeeping missions across 23 countries, deploying over 150,000 troops, according to Pakistan&#39;s Permanent Mission to the UN. More than 235,000 Pakistani peacekeepers have served in 48 United Nations peacekeeping missions across 29 countries worldwide.&nbsp;Currently, Pakistan has 8,230 personnel deployed, representing over 9% of UN peacekeeping forces, and ranks as the sixth-largest police contributor.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s role beyond troops includes membership in various UN bodies, such as the Human Rights Council and the UNICEF Executive Board. Additionally, Pakistan actively promotes arms control and disarmament through annual UN General Assembly resolutions aimed at strengthening regional security and global peace norms.&nbsp;The 2025 International Day of Peace themeThe 2025 International Day of Peace theme, &quot;Act Now for a Peaceful World,&quot; draws attention to urgent global challenges. UN Secretary-General Ant&oacute;nio Guterres said: &ldquo;Around the world, lives are being ripped apart, childhoods extinguished, and basic human dignity discarded, amidst the cruelty and degradation of war.&rdquo; The United Nations&rsquo; 2025 agenda calls for collective action to tackle poverty, inequality, discrimination, and injustice &mdash; key drivers of violence as noted by the UN Peacebuilding Commission, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Peacekeepers continue to work in risky conditions worldwide to maintain stability and assist communities affected by conflict.

A Pakistani peacekeeping soldier distributing food to an elderly woman. (UN)

Asia

Africa

Europe

More than 235,000 Pakistani peacekeepers have served in 48 United Nations peacekeeping missions across 29 countries worldwide.

Articles tagged with "UN peacekeeping missions"

UN force in Lebanon says peacekeeper wounded by Israeli grenade

Int'l Day of Peace: Pakistan’s role in global peacekeeping efforts

UN force in Lebanon says peacekeeper wounded by Israeli grenade