UN commander in Lebanon reaches out to villagers
The UN troops commander in Lebanon is seeking to mend relations with villagers in the tense south after incidents in which angry residents threw stones at the peacekeepers. Maj. Gen. Alberto Asarta Cuevas sent an open letter to the communities late on Thursday.
He is urging villagers to discuss their grievances directly with the UN peacekeepers and assuring them the force has no "hidden agenda." The villagers recently staged two protests, blocking roads to keep peacekeepers from performing a drill. Some threw stones, injuring three peacekeepers. (AP)
