On a mission in Lebanon

Rocket impact: soldiers from Carinthia injured

Austria's blue helmet contingent moving into the UN camp Naqoura in southern Lebanon, which came under fire.

(Bild: Bundesheer)

The blue helmets from Carinthia were at work in the workshop when the suspected Hezbollah rocket hit the area of the UN camp Naqoura in the south of Lebanon. 

The most important thing first: all eight deployed red-white-red blue helmets who were injured in the UN camp Naqoura in the south of Lebanon in the course of a missile strike (reported by "Die Krone") are doing well under the circumstances. Flesh wounds and abrasions from splinters - physically, the Austrian soldiers got off lightly.

According to Armed Forces spokesman Michael Bauer, however, the main concern now is the psychological aspect. "You first have to come to terms with such a drastic experience," says Bauer. And those affected are supported on site by a psychologist, but above all by their own comrades. And this seems to be working - because all eight soldiers injured by the rocket attack were already back on duty one day after the shocking impact.

Among them were two affected militiamen from Carinthia. The two members of the armed forces were carrying out repair work in the workshop when the allegedly "stray" Hezbollah missile hit the area of the UN camp Naqoura.

17 blue helmets from Carinthia in Lebanon
According to Michael Bauer, a total of 17 blue helmets from Carinthia are currently stationed in the war zone in Lebanon. However, according to Defense Minister Claudia Tanner, there is no question of withdrawing the domestic aid contingent from the UN observer mission UNIFIL for the time being, even after the shocking incident. Despite Israel's obvious demands.