Three Lebanese, including a contractor with the international peacekeeping forces "UNIFIL", were injured on Tuesday by Israeli army fire in southern Lebanon.

According to the official Lebanese News Agency, "citizen N.M. from the town of Abel al-Saqi was sniped by the Israeli enemy on the Abel al-Qamh road, Bab Thaniya area (in the town of Khiyam), while he was heading to work."

She confirmed that the injured man "was contracted with the Spanish battalion in UNIFIL as a barber."

Later, the Ministry of Health announced in a statement that "the Israeli enemy's raid on the town of Markaba in southern Lebanon today (Tuesday) resulted in two people being injured."

For her part, UNIFIL Deputy Director of Public Information Candice Ardell said in a statement received by Anadolu Agency: "A contractor was injured by gunfire (the source of which was not specified) near Sarda while on his way to provide services to the Spanish battalion of UNIFIL, and was transferred to the hospital."

"This is the second incident in two days in which a UNIFIL patrol has been attacked," she added.

She continued: "Yesterday, in the same area, fire fell from the south of the site near a Spanish patrol that was passing through the area, which caused the vehicle to be hit by flying stones."

The UN official pointed out "the enormous human cost to civilians in southern Lebanon as a result of the exchange of fire (between Israel and Hezbollah), including those who support the men and women working for peace."

She stressed "the need to stop attacks that harm civilians, and that directly or indirectly affect the ability of peacekeepers to perform their important work under resolution 1701."

On August 11, 2006, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1701, calling for a complete cessation of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel.

The resolution called for the creation of an area between the Blue Line (the border between Lebanon and Israel) and the Litani River in southern Lebanon, free of any armed men, military equipment and weapons, except those belonging to the Lebanese Armed Forces and UNIFIL forces.