The Ministry of Defence has provided an update indicating that the four soldiers who sustained minor injuries are stable and recovering well. The soldier who suffered serious injuries to both legs and the hip was successfully evacuated to Beirut, where he underwent surgery on Saturday morning. He is currently stable and recuperating.
Ghana’s Deputy Minister for Defence, Ernest Brogya Genfi, who provided the update on the Ghanaian troops serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), said: “Unfortunately, 15 officers lost all their personal effects in a fire at their accommodation.”
In a Facebook post on Saturday, he added: “Ghana has lodged a formal complaint at UN Headquarters, underscoring the responsibility of parties in conflict to respect the space and safety of peacekeepers operating within the theatre.”
Initial reports indicated that three UN peacekeepers were wounded when their base in southern Lebanon was hit on Friday, 6 March 2026, according to UNIFIL and the Ghanaian military, with Lebanon’s president accusing Israel of targeting them.
The attack occurred as Israel and Iran’s Lebanese proxy, Hezbollah, exchanged fire after the Middle East conflict expanded into the country on Monday, 2 March 2026.
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“Amid heavy firing this evening, three peacekeepers were injured inside their base in Qawzah in southern Lebanon,” UNIFIL said in a statement.
“The most severely injured has been transferred to a hospital in Beirut for treatment.”
Ghana’s military said its UNIFIL battalion headquarters came under “two missile attacks”, adding that “two soldiers are critically injured, while one other has been traumatised”.
“The officers’ mess facility was also hit and completely burnt down,” the statement said.
Neither UNIFIL nor the Ghanaian army specified the source of the attack, but the international force said it would investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
“It is unacceptable that peacekeepers performing UN Security Council-mandated tasks are targeted,” it added.
In a statement, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned what he described as “Israeli attacks on Lebanon”, adding that they had “even reached the point of a direct assault on UNIFIL”.
There was no immediate comment from the Israel Defence Forces, but French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the “unacceptable attack” on UNIFIL after speaking with his Lebanese and Syrian counterparts.
“France is working with its partners to prevent the conflict from spreading further in the region,” Mr Macron wrote on X, highlighting the “key stabilising role” played by the UN force.
He added that France would remain “engaged” in UNIFIL, which includes around 700 French troops.
In a post on X, the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, said she was “dismayed that our colleagues have suffered injuries and wishing them a full recovery”.
UNIFIL has acted as a buffer between Israel and Lebanon for decades and has assisted the Lebanese army in dismantling Hezbollah infrastructure near the Israeli border following the last war between the Iran-backed group and Israel in 2024.
The mission is expected to withdraw all troops from Lebanon by mid-2027.
Mr Brogya Genfi also wrote: “I acknowledge the solidarity expressed by France, whose Minister Delegate to the Minister of Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs, Hon. Mrs Alice Rufo, reached out in a telephone conversation to convey support.
“She indicated France has similarly raised concerns at UN Headquarters, as their peacekeepers are also deployed in Lebanon. Ghana deeply appreciates this gesture of solidarity and reiterates that all possible measures are being taken to protect our troops serving under the UN flag.”
On Saturday, 7 March 2026, Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, confirmed that the Government of Ghana had formally lodged a protest with UN Secretary-General António Guterres following what he described as a condemnable attack on Ghanaian peacekeeping soldiers in Lebanon.
“We are demanding full, immediate, impartial and transparent investigations into the attack, which violates international law and amounts to a war crime. We shall firmly pursue justice and enhanced protection for our gallant soldiers. The injured soldiers can count on the nation’s love, prayers and unflinching support,” he said.
A statement dated 7 March 2026 and issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Mr Ablakwa had, on behalf of the Government of Ghana, formally lodged a protest with the United Nations following the attack on the Ghanaian battalion serving with UNIFIL in southern Lebanon on 6 March 2026, which left two Ghanaian soldiers seriously injured.
“In the March 6, 2026, protest addressed to the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, the Government of Ghana has called for a full, immediate, impartial and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the attack on personnel deployed in the service of international peace and security.
“Ghana strongly condemns this attack and has further demanded that those responsible be identified and held accountable, as the attack constitutes a grave violation of international law, amounts to a war crime and affronts the protections afforded to United Nations peacekeeping personnel.”
“The Government of Ghana has further urged the United Nations to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of members of the Ghanaian contingent serving with UNIFIL, as well as all personnel serving under the mission who, at great personal risk, make daily sacrifices in the service of humanity.”
“The Government of Ghana assures our gallant soldiers that no effort will be spared in pursuing justice and guaranteeing enhanced protection. Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured and their loved ones.
“Ghana reaffirms its unwavering and longstanding commitment to United Nations peacekeeping operations and underscores that the safety and protection of peacekeeping personnel must remain paramount in the collective effort to maintain international peace and security.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to monitor developments closely and remain engaged with the relevant United Nations authorities on the matter.”
Israel’s Ambassador to Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Roey Gilad, also expressed sympathy over the missile attack on the Ghanaian peacekeeping position in southern Lebanon.
The attack, confirmed earlier by the Ghana Armed Forces, occurred on Friday evening when the Ghanaian battalion headquarters serving under UNIFIL came under two missile strikes between 17:45 and 17:52 local time.
According to a military statement issued from Burma Camp in Accra, two Ghanaian soldiers were critically injured, while another suffered trauma during the attack. The officers’ mess at the base was also hit by fire and completely destroyed.
The injured personnel are receiving treatment at a Level One medical bunker, while arrangements are underway to evacuate them to the UNIFIL headquarters referral hospital for further medical care.
In a response shared with MyJoyOnline, the Israeli envoy described the incident as tragic and expressed sympathy for the affected contingent.
“This is indeed a tragic event. We send wishes of speedy recovery to the three soldiers,” Ambassador Gilad said.
He added that efforts were underway to identify the source of the fire, which is being investigated by the Israel Defence Forces.
The Ghana Armed Forces has assured the public that other troops remain safe and have taken shelter in underground bunkers amid the fragile security situation.
The incident comes as tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate following the expanding confrontation involving Israel, Iran and allied forces across the region.
Southern Lebanon has become an increasingly volatile theatre due to ongoing exchanges between the Israel Defense Forces and the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
UNIFIL peacekeepers, including the Ghanaian contingent, operate in a buffer zone along the Israel–Lebanon border established under United Nations Security Council mandates to monitor ceasefire arrangements and prevent hostilities between the two sides.
However, the intensifying military exchanges have brought peacekeeping forces into proximity to active combat zones, increasing the risk of accidental or collateral strikes.
The Government of Ghana has since raised the incident at the United Nations through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, calling for greater protection for peacekeepers operating in conflict areas.
Officials say Ghana has urged all parties involved in the conflict to respect international humanitarian law and ensure the safety of UN personnel deployed to maintain peace and stability.
Ghana remains one of the largest troop-contributing countries to UN peacekeeping missions worldwide, with soldiers serving in multiple operations across Africa and the Middle East.
The latest incident highlights the growing risks facing peacekeepers as regional tensions continue to rise amid the broader geopolitical confrontation unfolding across the Middle East.
The Irish Government has also issued a strong condemnation following the airstrike on a UNIFIL base in southern Lebanon, an incident that has resulted in serious injuries to three Ghanaian peacekeepers.
In a statement released on 6th March 2026, the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland, Micheál Martin, highlighted the perilous conditions currently faced by international peacekeeping forces in the region.
While the attack caused significant harm to the Ghanaian contingent, the Taoiseach commended the swift and professional actions of fellow personnel stationed nearby who responded to the crisis.
“I strongly condemn the reckless strike on a UNIFIL base in southern Lebanon that has left a number of Ghanaian peacekeepers seriously injured,” the Taoiseach stated, adding, “The role of peacekeepers is sacrosanct, and all should go above and beyond to prevent them from coming into harm’s way”.
