Dangers of killing peacekeepers

Each unaddressed attack undermines the UN's legitimacy and reinforces perceptions of impotence

- Anthony Ohemeng-Boamah

Vital role: Unifil at work in south Lebanon.

(Photo: Unifil-Pio)

On 30 and 31 March 2026, three peacekeepers from Indonesia's UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) contingent lost their lives. The security council convened on 31 March to address the implications of this tragedy, recognising its significance not only for Indonesia but as an indicator of challenges faced by the UN.

The secretary-general denounced the killings and the disregard for international law. Indonesia's permanent representative expressed condolences and condemned the attack, calling for investigations, accountability and enhanced protection for peacekeepers requests echoed by other council members.

It is notable that the term “peacekeeping” does not appear in the UN charter. Nevertheless, for eight decades the UN has employed peacekeeping as a prominent mechanism to uphold the charter’s core objective of maintaining international peace and security. Articles 1 and 2 establish the organisation's goals; Chapter VII (Articles 39-51) outlines the council's response to threats and the authorisation of enforcement actions. Peacekeeping developed at the intersection between principle and practice, relying on the willingness of member states to support it.

The model began in 1948 with the establishment of the UN Truce Supervision Organisation (Untso), pursuant to security council resolution 50, after the first Arab-Israeli war. Untso monitored a ceasefire in Palestine.