Second French Peacekeeper Dies from Lebanon Ambush Wounds

A second French soldier died Wednesday from wounds he suffered in a weekend attack on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon, President Emmanuel Macron announced. The attack happened Saturday and also killed staff sergeant Florian Montorio immediately.

French officials blame Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group, for the ambush. However, Hezbollah has denied being responsible for the attack that targeted the UN peacekeeping force.

France is part of the UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, which was created to monitor the border between Lebanon and Israel. The mission, known as UNIFIL, has about 10,000 peacekeepers from different countries working to prevent conflicts in the region.

This attack marks a serious escalation in violence against international forces trying to maintain stability in Lebanon. The deaths raise questions about the safety of peacekeepers operating in increasingly dangerous areas.