Asked by the National News Agency (NNA) about his reaction to the bomb attack in the Rouweiss neighbourhood of Beirut yesterday, UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major-General Paolo Serra condemned in the strongest terms “the criminal targeting of innocent civilians”.

“In this moment of profound grief, as we mourn the tragic loss of invaluable lives, our thoughts are with the bereaved families of the victims and we hope for speedy recovery of the wounded,” Gen. Serra said.

He added: “We in UNIFIL, each one of us, stand resolutely by our Lebanese hosts in our common quest for peace and security. Moments like this only further strengthen our resolve. I hope that the Lebanese authorities will be successful in identifying the perpetrators of this heinous crime and will bring them to justice as soon as possible.”

In separate letters to President Suleiman, Speaker Berri and Caretaker Prime Minister Mikati today, Gen. Serra has extended his deepest sympathies and expressed his condolences and those of all UNIFIL peacekeepers to the victims, their families, and the people of Lebanon.