‘Civilian objects’ should not be weaponised: UN chief
Civilian objects should not be weaponised, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says in the wake of a deadly wave of explosions across Lebanon targeting devices used by Hezbollah.
“I think it’s very important that there is an effective control of civilian objects, not to weaponise civilian objects, that should be a rule that … governments should be able to implement,” Guterres said at a briefing at UN headquarters in New York.
“As important as the event in itself is the indication that this event confirms that there is a serious risk of a dramatic escalation in Lebanon and everything must be done to avoid the escalation,” Guterres said.
“What has happened is particularly serious not only because of the number of victims that it caused but because of the indications that exist that this was triggered, I would say, in advance of a normal way to trigger these things because there was a risk of this being discovered.”