United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed concern over the fighting between Fatah el-Islam and Lebanese army in Lebanon and asked all sides to protect civilians.
"The actions of Fatah al-Islam are an attack on Lebanon's stability and sovereignty," the secretary-general's spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters on Monday.
Meanwhile, in a statement Ban welcomed the "united stand taken by Palestinian factions in Lebanon denouncing these attacks on the Lebanese army."
"The secretary-general also strongly condemns Monday's terrorist bombing in Beirut," the statement said, urging the Lebanese to unite in the face of threats to their stability and security.
Voicing hope that the ceasefire reached by Palestinian factions operating in the Gaza Strip will hold after a week of deadly clashes, Ban called on all sides to abide by its terms and urged the Palestinian Authority to take the necessary steps to restore law and order.
Ban thanked Egypt for its work in brokering the ceasefire, which took effect on Saturday after a week of fighting in which dozens of people have been killed in Gaza.
The statement noted that Ban is deeply concerned about recent Palestinian rocket attacks targeting Israeli civilians, calling them completely unacceptable and a violation of international law.
"The secretary-general is also deeply concerned by the mounting number of civilian casualties from Israeli military operations, especially the targeted attack on the home of a Hamas legislator in Gaza, which killed six members of one family," the statement added.
"While recognising Israel's right to defend itself, he calls on Israel to abide by international law and to ensure that its actions do not target civilians or put them at undue risk."
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