Nepal Army’s Lieutenant Colonel Chokbahadur Dhakal was preparing to return to Nepal on Saturday after completing his two-year mission with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). He had already been bid farewell at the UNIFIL force headquarters in Naku on Friday. Later that night, he was heading to the airport in a convoy with security vehicles escorting his car.
As they neared the airport, protesters suddenly appeared on the road and blocked his vehicle. According to Nepal Army spokesperson Gaurav Kumar KC, the protestors stopped the vehicle Dhakal was in after it crossed the first car in the convoy.
Reports say that around midnight, Dhakal was taken out of the vehicle and beaten by the protesters. Other soldiers in the vehicle were also pulled out, but their condition was reported as normal. There were four other Nepali peacekeepers in the car, and their situation was also stable.
News agency AP reported that the protesters set the vehicle on fire after pulling out Dhakal and the others. Images and videos from international media showed the car being set on fire, with some people seen taking items from the peacekeepers’ vehicle.
The Lebanese Army dispersed the protesters shortly after the incident, and Lieutenant Colonel Dhakal was rescued and taken to the UN Level Three Hospital in Beirut.
The protest was linked to a recent decision by Lebanese officials to cancel permission for an Iranian flight heading to Beirut, suspecting it was transporting cash for the militant group Hezbollah. This move led to accusations that Lebanon was yielding to Israeli threats, and protesters blocked roads, including those leading to the airport, in protest.
The group that attacked Dhakal’s vehicle is suspected to be aligned with Hezbollah, although this has not been officially confirmed. The Lebanese Army’s Acting Commander, Major General Hassan Oud, contacted UNIFIL commanders immediately after the attack, condemning the assault on peacekeepers.
The United Nations has also called for a thorough investigation and appropriate action against those responsible for the attack.
Lieutenant Colonel Dhakal, with over 35 years of military experience, began his duties in the UNIFIL mission in December 2022. He had previously served in various peacekeeping roles, including in Yugoslavia and Syria, and had a history of working in UN peacekeeping missions dating back to 1994.
Nepali peacekeepers have been impacted by the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, especially since Israel’s military actions against Hezbollah began in October 2023. The situation led to the temporary sheltering of 850 Nepali peacekeepers in bunkers due to security concerns. Despite this, Nepal remains one of the top contributors of peacekeepers worldwide.
