Vatican aid convoy to southern Lebanese town forced back by bombardment

BEIRUT, April 7 (Reuters) - Bombardment in southern Lebanon on Tuesday forced a convoy of humanitarian aid organized by the Vatican’s embassy for a besieged Christian town to turn back, ​a priest in the town told Reuters.

Thousands of Christians in several southern ‌Lebanese towns have stayed in their homes despite the escalating fighting between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, hoping their towns would be spared if they stayed on the sidelines of the conflict.

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But clashes ​and Israeli air strikes on surrounding villages have made travel in and ​out of the towns too dangerous, and food, water and medicine are ⁠running short.

An aid delivery organized by the Vatican’s embassy was meant to deliver ​aid to the Christian town of Debel on Tuesday but shelling forced it to turn ​back at the last minute, said Fadi Falfil, a priest in Debel.

“We don’t have basic medication like insulin - we don’t even have drinking water,” he told Reuters.

Falfil said the convoy was first organized ​for Easter Sunday but heavy shelling delayed it to Tuesday.

“We were waiting all ​day, and they were at pains all day to try to get this aid to us. It ‌was ⁠five minutes away and it had to turn back,” Falfil said.

UN PEACEKEEPERS WOUNDED

Falfil said he had been briefed that Israeli shelling on Hezbollah militants nearby had derailed the delivery, and that there was no date set for another attempt.

The Israeli military, Hezbollah and ​a spokesperson for ​the Vatican’s embassy in ⁠Lebanon did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, was escorting the ​convoy on Tuesday.

“The mission had to be cut short due to ​shelling in ⁠the area. We did have some very minor injuries among peacekeepers due to the impacts nearby,” UNIFIL spokesperson Kandice Ardiel said.

Lebanese broadcaster MTV reported that the aid convoy consisted ⁠of three ​trucks full of basic provisions including bread and ​vegetables.

“No matter what happens, we’re going to stay. We stay because of our faith and our history here - ​it isn’t a choice, it’s a message,” said Falfil.

Reporting by Maya Gebeily Editing by Gareth Jones

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