UNSC urges Lebanese to preserve unity after bombing

The UN Security Council (UNSC) appealed to all Lebanese people to preserve national unity in the face of attempts to undermine the country's stability. The statement, released late Tuesday, came on the backdrop of the explosion that ripped through a parking lot of the densely-populated suburb of Bir El-Abed, southern Beirut early Tuesday. The explosion, not claimed responsibility for as of yet, is reported to have resulted in some 50 injuries. Reaffirming that terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations, constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, the UNSC statement also stressed that any acts of terrorism are "criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever, and by whomsoever committed." The members of the Security Council reiterated their determination to combat all forms of terrorism, in accordance with its responsibilities under the Charter of the United Nations. The members further underlined the need to bring the perpetrators to justice, emphasizing the importance for all Lebanese parties to respect Lebanon's policy of disassociation and to refrain from any involvement in the Syrian crisis, consistent with their commitment in the Baabda Declaration. Meanwhile, and following closed-door talks on Lebanon on Tuesday, Ambassador Rosemary DiCarlo of the United States, which holds the Council's presidency for the month, said the 15-member body had expressed its strong support for United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and all its troop-contributing countries. She said that while the council members had noted the relative calm along the Blue Line, they had also expressed deep concern at the marked increase in cross-border fire from Syria into Lebanon, as well as ongoing incursions, abductions, and arms trafficking along the Syrian-Lebanese border. She said the council had also condemned the bombing in Beirut and expressed the need to "speak with one voice" on matters regarding Lebanon's territorial integrity. The members had also expressed gratitude to the people and Government of Lebanon for accepting over 590,000 people who had fled the violence in Syria. They had also expressed need for international support to help Lebanon address the humanitarian crisis sparked by the ongoing conflict in Syria.