Ghana petitions UN after missile hits own soldiers in Lebanon
The Ghanaian soldiers were ''seriously'' wounded when a missile hit their battalion in Lebanon amid escalating conflict in the Middle East.
Ghana has petitioned the United Nations over an attack on its troops in Lebanon, demanding a "full, immediate, and transparent" investigation.
The attack on Ghanaian soldiers serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon on Friday left two soldiers "seriously injured," Ghana's Minister of Foreign Affairs Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said in a statement.
"The Government of Ghana has formally lodged a protest with UN Secretary-General António Guterres following the condemnable attack on Ghanaian peacekeeping soldiers in Lebanon," the foreign minister said on Saturday.
"We are demanding a full, immediate, impartial, and transparent investigation into the attack, which violates international law and amounts to a war crime. We shall firmly pursue justice and enhanced protection for our gallant soldiers," Ablakwa added.
He assured the wounded soldiers of "the nation's love, prayers, and unflinching support."
The Ghanaian troops were reportedly hit by a missile amid the current escalation of conflict in the Middle East sparked by US-Israel's deadly attacks on Iran at the end of February.
It was not immediately clear who fired the projectile that wounded Ghanaian soldiers and whether they were deliberately targeted. However, the Lebanese authorities said the missile was fired by Israel.
The troops mandate
While reaffirming its commitment to UN peacekeeping operations, the West African country urged that "the safety and protection of peacekeeping personnel must remain paramount in the collective effort to maintain international peace and security."
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was originally created in 1978 to ensure Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon, restore international peace and security, and assist the Lebanese Government in restoring its effective authority in the affected area.
Following the escalation of violence between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006, the UN Security Council improved the Force and expanded its mandate to include monitoring the cessation of hostilities and supporting the Lebanese armed forces as they deploy throughout the south of Lebanon to maintain peace and stability.
It is also mandated to ensure humanitarian access to civilian populations and the voluntary and safe return of displaced persons.
The force had more than 7,000 troops drawn from several countries on the ground as of December 2025, in addition to non-uniformed personnel, according to the UN.