UNIFIL’s Ghanaian Patrol Commander, Lt Rodney Odway, unfolds a map on the bumper of the parked vehicle and calls his company over for a briefing. The 12-strong group of peacekeepers are about to perform a foot patrol along the Blue Line near Marwahin. Lt Odway indicates on the map the ground they will cover, and reminds his colleagues to note any suspicious or unusual activity so this information can be sent to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). After the briefing one of the peacekeepers raises the familiar blue UN flag, his colleagues line up in two rows behind him and the foot patrol sets off.
 
UNIFIL patrols, conducted by UNIFIL’s military personnel, are the most visible component of UNIFIL’s work in south Lebanon. The peacekeeping mission carries out some 430 activities, mostly patrols like this one, every single day, holidays included.
 
“We patrol along the Blue Line and we also patrol in the urban areas; we patrol 24/7 in all weather conditions, in the summer, in the winter and when it’s raining,” says Lt Odway.
 
According to UN Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006), which forms the core of UNIFIL’s mandate, LAF soldiers are primarily responsible for ensuring security in south Lebanon. Since the beginning of 2008, UNIFIL and LAF further intensified their cooperation and moved beyond coordinating their operational activities to carrying out a small percentage of their activities together on a daily basis. Currently 10 per cent of all UNIFIL patrols are carried out jointly with LAF.
 
“We have a number of coordinated patrols with the Lebanese Armed Forces. We have coordinated points where we meet and we go on the patrol together; we also do Blue Line and market patrols with them,” adds Lt Odway.
 
While joint patrols with LAF are happening, UNIFIL does the majority of its patrols across the area of operations without LAF being physically present. However, every patrol UNIFIL carries out is done in close coordination with LAF and any unusual or suspicious activity observed by UNIFIL peacekeepers is reported to LAF.
 
As the evening sky changes to beautiful orange hues UNIFIL’s Italian peacekeepers climb into their patrol vehicle and start the engines. Corporal Gian Paulo Nitti says: “We patrol along the Blue Line every day. Now it’s 19:30 p.m. but we are setting out here to keep the area safe according to UNIFIL’s mandate.” He shuts the door and the two peacekeeping vehicles drive into the night.

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Article: Aoibheann O'Sullivan
Video Editor: Mohamad Hamze, Suzane Badereddine
Video Camera: Mohamad Hamze, Aoibheann O'Sullivan
Photo: Pasqual Gorriz
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