Ministry of Foreign Affairs reacts to death of Serbian peacekeeper Milovan Jovanovic, killed in Lebanon

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MSP) of Serbia today offered its sincere condolences to the family, colleagues and friends of Staff Sergeant Milovan Jovanovic, a member of the 2nd Land Brigade of the Serbian Army, who died this morning as a result of injuries caused by a missile hitting a UN base in Lebanon where peacekeeping forces, including a part of the Serbian contingent, are stationed.

Recommended

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia pays the greatest respect to the fallen UNIFIL member from Serbia, Staff Sergeant Milovan Jovanovic, for his dedication and service to our Serbian fatherland, and to international peace and security. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs offers its sincere condolences to his family, colleagues and friends," said a statement.

The ministry also strongly condemn the attack on the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, UNIFIL, which resulted in the death of the Serbian soldier, and the wounding of two more servicemen from El Salvador and Spain - the result of the shelling of the UN facility.

"We call for an urgent, thorough and transparent investigation into the said incident and for those responsible to be identified, as well as for respect for UN Security Council Resolution 1701, international law and international humanitarian law, and protection of the security of peacekeepers," the statement said.

Serbian Army Staff Sergeant Milovan Jovanovic, who was serving as a peacekeeper in Lebanon, died this morning as a result of injuries caused by a missile falling on the UN base where the peacekeeping forces, including a part of the Serbian contingent, were stationed, the Ministry of Defense of Serbia announced earlier in the day.

Staff Sergeant Jovanovic, born in 1989, a married father of two minor children, was transported by helicopter to the University Medical Center in Beirut, where he died of his wounds around 04:00 local Lebanese time.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)