Moscow: The Russian Foreign Ministry called on Saturday evening for a comprehensive investigation into the killing of journalists from Al-Manar and Al-Mayadeen channels in an Israeli airstrike that targeted their vehicle in southern Lebanon.
According to Yemen News Agency, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement: "The question is to what extent the international community is prepared to accept this logic in action: labeling a journalist as a terrorist and obtaining a license to kill him. Is this the case? We will never agree to this proposition." As with all similar tragedies, we will insist on the necessity of investigating this killing, holding all those responsible accountable, and putting an end to this bloody practice once and for all.
The ministry emphasized that "the strike targeted an ordinary civilian vehicle carrying journalists on their way to a news assignment. They were clearly wearing press insignia, yet this did not protect them from the precision-guided attack, which resulted in the vehicle being completely burned and turning it into a 'mass grave for journalists.'"
The ministry referred to the Israeli army's statement that "among the occupants of the vehicle targeted by the missile were terrorists posing as journalists," asserting that this statement "does not absolve them of responsibility for this serious crime under international humanitarian law."
It noted that this comes just days after an attempt to target an RT crew in similar circumstances, emphasizing that the Israeli military "is capable of carrying out similar attacks on civilians without hesitation."
The ministry expressed its "deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the two slain journalists."