UNIFIL
In this News from UNIFIL episode, Deputy Spokesperson Kandice Ardiel reaffirms that UNIFIL peacekeepers will not vacate their positions near the Blue Line despite recent pressures. The episode also highlights UNIFIL’s crucial Liaison and Coordination mechanism, which has facilitated over 1,800 activities amid escalating tensions, and the mission’s support to communities in the south, with peacekeepers providing essential medical aid to displaced people.
In this “News from UNIFIL” radio story, UNIFIL Deputy Spokesperson Kandice Ardiel speaks about United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 and the obstacles the mission has faced in implementing it over the last 18 years, UNIFIL publishes a video interview with the two Indonesian peacekeepers who were injured on October 10, UNIFIL’s evacuation of two elderly residents from Al-Qawzah, and other news.
Amid the ongoing exchanges of fire across the Blue Line, cooperation and coordination between UNIFIL and the Lebanese Armed Forces deployed in south Lebanon are more critical than ever for the effective implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701. The events following October 8th, 2023, motivated greater cooperation on Civil Military Coordination or “CIMIC” activities between the Lebanese Armed Forces and UNIFIL. LAF and UNIFIL decided to work together on certain projects that would support and benefit the people of the south, especially those who remained in their villages close to the Blue Line.
On August 28, 2024, the United Nations Security Council adopted resolution 2749, extending the peacekeeping mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon for another year. As daily exchanges of fire are having devastating effects on civilians on both sides of the Blue Line, the Security Council strongly urged all relevant actors to implement immediate measures towards de-escalation. In this episode of “Salam from the South”, we will get a better understanding of what the resolution means from UNIFIL Deputy Spokesperson Kandice Ardiel and how the mission is adapting its operational activities in the face of the rising tensions.
Since the adoption of Resolution 1701, UNIFIL has implemented many projects aimed at empowering women and building their capacities so they can be strong and effective voices in their communities. With the ongoing exchanges of fire along the Blue Line now entering their eleventh month, initiatives like these are more crucial than ever, especially for women who have been displaced from their home villages. Recently, UNIFIL outfitted the sewing and embroidery vocational training room at the Imam Sadr Foundation with necessary machines and equipment.
Since the onset of exchanges of fire along the Blue Line on October 8th of last year, the situation in south Lebanon has undergone drastic changes: widespread destruction, deaths, injuries, and large-scale displacement of the population. Adding to these transformations is the imminent threat posed by unexploded shells, mortars, rockets, and other types of bombs scattered across south Lebanon due to the ongoing violence, which has persisted for more than ten months.
UNIFIL Spokesperson Andrea Tenenti regularly joins us on “Salam from the South” to shed light on the latest developments in south Lebanon, where tensions have risen in recent weeks. He will also discuss UNIFIL’s ongoing efforts to de-escalate the ongoing crisis.
In the wake of the exchanges of fire across the Blue Line early October last year, UNIFIL has been supporting – within its means and capacity – local communities in south Lebanon with their urgent needs. The mission and its peacekeepers have been actively assisting local communities with medical, dental, veterinary, and educational support, among other assistance, while ensuring humanitarian access to the most affected. With nearly 100,000 people living close to the Blue Line displaced, the city of Tyre has been hosting thousands of the displaced, putting an additional strain, in particular, on its water distribution system.
As the exchanges of fire affecting south Lebanon run into the tenth month forcing thousands to flee to safer areas, UNIFIL peacekeepers have been helping the displaced people as well as those remaining in their villages with their most pressing needs. Medical treatment and donations have been at the center of UNIFIL assistance to the local population.
In this episode, UNIFIL Spokesperson Andrea Tenenti sits down with “Salam from the South” to provide a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in south Lebanon and what the mission is doing to address the current challenges after more than 9 months since the exchanges of fire along the Blue Line started.
UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
