Mysterious explosion targets U.N. post

An explosion went off Wednesday inside a United Nations post under construction, causing extensive material damage but causing no injuries.

A statement issued by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said the explosion took place at a post belonging to UNIFIL's Nepalese battalion near the village of Yater, on the edge of an Israeli-occupied border enclave in south Lebanon.

The post, which is still under construction, was deserted at the time of the explosion, it said.

"UNIFIL condemns this criminal action which targeted a position whose only function was to give added protection to the people of the area," the statement added.

It was the first time in 20 years that a United Nations post in Lebanon was targeted.

The statement did not accuse any party of the planting the explosives but said investigations were underway to determine the identity and motives of the attackers.

The nine-nation U.N. peacekeeping force has been in Lebanon since 1978. The peacekeepers were initially deployed in the south to help in the implementation of U.N. resolution 425, which calls for Israel's immediate and unconditional withdrawal from south Lebanon.