UN calls for cessation of hostilities along Blue Line in southern Lebanon

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- The chief UN spokesman on Wednesday called for an end to hostilities along the Blue Line, a buffer zone in southern Lebanon.

"We once again call on all parties for immediate de-escalation and urge the parties to return to a cessation of hostilities," said Stephane Dujarric, chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Dujarric said that following reports of attacks by Israeli forces near new monitoring posts in Marjayoun, UN peacekeepers said they were not targeted, but there was firing in the direction of a nearby Lebanese Armed Forces contingent.

The monitoring posts were established by the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

"Those peacekeepers observed a group of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers dismounting from two vehicles and firing shots toward the Lebanese Armed Forces post," he said. "UNIFIL sent a 'stop fire' request to the IDF through its liaison channels. UNIFIL confirmed that its peacekeepers were not the target of the fire."

The spokesman also called for the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701, which was adopted in 2006 to establish stability along the Blue Line. ■