The Slovenian Armed Forces have faced several conflicts with the terrorist group Hezbollah in the past. The last time was five years ago in Lebanon, where the Slovenian Armed Forces were deployed as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) mission. At that time, the Slovenian contingent was attacked, which again raised questions about the security situation in the area, where the militant group Hezbollah also operates. Questions are also being asked as to why our country persists in supporting terrorists who have also endangered the safety of its own soldiers in the past.
Five years ago, in August, the 24th Slovenian Armed Forces contingent in Lebanon was mercilessly attacked by a large armed group, and our soldiers found themselves in a life-threatening situation. While on patrol, Hezbollah surrounded the Slovenian contingent, pounding on and damaging their vehicle. The terrorists then poured petrol on the vehicle and set it on fire.
The vehicle’s fire suppression system was triggered, and three soldiers abandoned the vehicle. Then, Hezbollah terrorists grabbed them, took their weapons and started beating them. One of the soldiers had a pistol put to his head, and the terrorists tried to pull him away, and he also received around 30 blows. At that point, the crew of the second Humvee left the safe shelter of their armoured vehicle and set out to rescue their comrades. The commander gave the order to fire warning shots, and nine warning shots were fired. The attackers immediately scattered. It could have been a black day for the Slovenian army, but fortunately, they managed to return to the military base alive.
A lesson for the government of Robert Golob
But the incident could be a lesson for the Robert Golob government, as it shows that Hezbollah terrorists do not pick and choose who they attack – even peacekeepers are not spared.
Terrorist groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas have repeatedly shown their disrespect for UN-led peacekeeping missions. Such incidents reveal that peacekeepers, despite their humanitarian and protection tasks, are still exposed to the dangers and attacks caused by these terrorist groups. And yet, the current government is playing peacemakers.
Slovenian soldiers have repeatedly encountered terrorists
However, the attack described above is not the first in which Slovenian soldiers have found themselves in Lebanon. In the spring of 2015, while on patrol, they fell into an ambush that took a computer from their armoured cars, which was believed to contain vital military data. In February 2017, Slovenian soldiers who were part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon fell into another ambush, from which they also luckily emerged unscathed.
Since the Hamas attack on Israel, the Golob government has taken decisions that further aggravate a complex situation. Recognising the state of Palestine and blaming Israel when it responds to attacks by Iran and Lebanon gives legitimacy to terrorist organisations such as Hamas and Hezbollah and supports their crimes. In doing so, the Golob government reinforces the perception that terrorist groups are justified in their actions, which can lead to further tensions and violence.
Sara Kovač
