UN calls for ‘independent investigation’ into Hezbollah pager explosion in Lebanon

Turk denounces the impact on civilians and warns that it could be a violation of International Humanitarian Law

September 18 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, has called on Wednesday for an “independent investigation” into the explosion on Tuesday of thousands of pagers allegedly used by members of the Shiite militia party Hezbollah in Lebanon and has warned that it could be a violation of international humanitarian law.

“There must be an independent, thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances of these massive explosions, and those who ordered and carried out such an attack must be held accountable,” he said after the events, which left at least 12 dead, including two children, and around 2,800 injured, according to the latest official figures.

He explained that “simultaneous attacks against thousands of people, whether civilians or members of armed groups, without knowledge of who was in possession of the devices, their location and surroundings at the time of the attack, violates international human rights law and, to the extent applicable, international humanitarian law.”

Turk stressed that what happened was “shocking” and stressed that “its impact on civilians is unacceptable.” “The fear and terror caused is profound,” he said. “In these extremely volatile times, I call on all states with influence in the region and beyond to take immediate measures to prevent the further expansion of current conflicts,” he said.

“There are enough daily horrors, enough suffering. It is time for leaders to step up to defend the rights of all people to live in peace and security,” he said, stressing that “the protection of civilians must be the top priority” and that “a reduction in tensions is more crucial than ever.”

Although the explosions had initially been attributed to a cyber attack, US officials have confirmed to The New York Times that Israeli intelligence had managed to conceal explosive material inside a new batch of some 3,000 pagers imported into Lebanon.

These devices were loaded with explosive material weighing between 30 and 60 grams, along with the battery of each pager and a system that could be activated remotely for detonation upon arrival in Lebanese territory, after which Hezbollah distributed them among its members in Lebanon, Syria and even Iran.

All of the pagers that were on received a message at 3:30 p.m. (local time) that triggered the explosives after a notification beep lasting several seconds. While many of the victims are believed to be members of Hezbollah, it is not known how many of them are actually members of the group and in what positions they operate.