Layout option 1: Grid display, horizontal block, links to media item
More than six months have passed since the exchanges of fire along the Blue Line began. Since then, the lives of thousands of people have changed drastically. The south has witnessed destruction, deaths, injuries, and large-scale dislocation of the population. And people already facing challenges because of the economic crisis continue to suffer. UNIFIL Chief of Staff Brigadier General Cedric du Gardin has seen the immense transformation in south…
In this episode, we will sit down with UNIFIL Spokesperson Andrea Tenenti to bring you the latest updates about recent developments in south Lebanon. He will give us insights into the latest incident involving peacekeepers from the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), UNIFIL’s continued patrolling activities amid the increase of tension along the Blue Line, as well as the relationship between UNIFIL peacekeepers and the people…
When the 2006 war ended and the Security Council enhanced UNIFIL’s mandate with resolution 1701, there was a clear need for a bridge between Lebanon and Israel, since they do not talk to each other directly. On 11 December of that year, in a Tripartite meeting, a Liaison and Coordination Arrangement was agreed by UNIFIL, the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Israel Defense Forces. Since then, UNIFIL has acted as a mediator between the two sides, and…
Since its establishment in 1978, and then the enhancement of the mission after the 2006 war, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has enjoyed a very strong relationship with local communities in south Lebanon. In addition to their operational activities under UN Security Council Resolution 1701, UNIFIL peacekeepers have also been helping the local communities with different kinds of support, including development projects and…
Since the exchanges of fire began on October 8 th, south Lebanon has gone through enormous transformation and challenges. The 17 years of unprecedented security and stability that the region had enjoyed since 2006 was violently interrupted. Destruction, deaths, injuries, and large-scale population relocation are the current reality. Despite all that, UNIFIL and its peacekeepers remain committed to their mission in pursuit of eventual peace, and…
Since the 8 th of October, daily exchanges of fire across the Blue Line have drastically changed the situation in south Lebanon. Lieutenant General Aroldo Lázaro, Head of Mission and Force Commander of UNIFIL, the United Nations peacekeeping force in the south, has of course been following developments closely, as the mission works to de-escalate tensions and restore stability to the region. We were able to sit down with him recently to find out…
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. Here is the link to full story in SoundCloud
The sounds of the explosions increase as we get closer to the Italian base in Al Mansouri one January morning. The firefights along the Blue Line have grown more intense. When the exchanges of fire are close like this, all UNIFIL personnel, military and civilian, must stay inside UN bases. So, the scheduled patrol by Italian peacekeepers this morning has to wait until the situation gets calmer. After two hours, the patrol gets the permission to…
Since the exchanges of fire began along the Blue Line on October 8 th, UNIFIL peacekeepers have been operating within very different conditions than before. But still, they are performing the mission’s operational activities under UN Security Council Resolution 1701 to restore stability along the Blue Line and prevent the outbreak of a wider and more devastating conflict. Patrolling is a critical part of these operational activities. Here is the…
On 11 December 2006, in a Tripartite meeting, a Liaison and Coordination Arrangement was agreed by UNIFIL, the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Israel Defense Forces. Lebanon and Israel don’t talk to each other directly, so UNIFIL acts as a mediator. Since October 8th, this mechanism became central to the mission’s work. The two conflicting parties have been communicating with UNIFIL’s Head of Mission and Force Commander, Lt. General Aroldo Lazaro…
Layout option 2: Grid display, default layout (no option to show title)
<p style="text-align:start; margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:15.546667098999023px"><span style="font-family:Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="font-weight:normal"><span style="white-space:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="line-height:19.786666870117188px"><span style="color:black"><span style="background-color:white">UNIFIL and its troop-contributing countries are proud to </span></span></span></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:14pt"><span style="line-height:19.786666870117188px"><span style="color:black"><span style="background-color:white">support projects that help local people and communities – projects in health care (including COVID-19 prevention), education, the environment, food security, agriculture, and more. The Austrian contingent’s strong support for the Mosan Center for children with special needs is but one example of the close relationships UNIFIL peacekeepers have with the local community.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p>Patrolling is one of the most important activities that peacekeepers perform. Patrols allow peacekeepers to monitor the cessation of hostilities, and take note of any suspicious or unusual activity, to immediately inform Lebanese Armed Forces colleagues for action.</p>
<p style="text-align:start"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="font-weight:normal"><span style="white-space:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:14pt">The first United Nations naval peacekeeping force in history, UNIFIL’s MTF supports the Lebanese Navy in monitoring Lebanese territorial waters, <span style="color:black">securing the Lebanese coast, and preventing the unauthorized entry of arms or related materiel into Lebanon by sea. The MTF’s mission also focuses on training the Lebanese Navy so in the future it can fully perform the maritime security tasks currently supported by UNIFIL’s naval peacekeepers.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:15.399999618530273px"><span style="font-family:Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px">Through the adoption of resolution 2591 renewing UNIFIL’s mandate in August 2021, the United Nations Security Council noted Lebanon’s unprecedented socio-economic and humanitarian crises. In that context, the 15-member Council requested UNIFIL to take “temporary and special measures” to support the Lebanese Army with essential items like medicine, fuel, food, and other logistics.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="text-align:start">Lebanon and Israel don’t talk to each other directly, so UNIFIL acts as a mediator. UNIFIL’s Liaison Branch is part of this mechanism. With the conflicting parties – Lebanon and Israel – still technically in a state of war, when tensions are high any violation of the Blue Line, any inadvertent movement in the area, or any imprudent remark may cause an eruption of violence. Only an enduring UNIFIL presence all along the Blue Line can ensure that the smallest incident will not escalate into a greater crisis.</p>
<p>UNIFIL is working in south Lebanon to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces in the area. Close cooperation between LAF and UNIFIL is of paramount importance in order to preserve calm in the area and assist local communities.</p>
<p>Under UN Security Council Resolution 1701, UNIFIL supports the Lebanese Armed Forces in providing security and stability in south Lebanon as well as enhancing their capacities and capabilities through joint activities and trainings.</p>
Layout option 3: Grid display, Vertical card (no option to hide default image)
Lieutenant Colonel George Eid, Commander of the Internal Security Forces’ Tyre Regional Brigade says, “The tasks of the Internal Security Forces require continuous work, 24/7. The solar energy project provided by UNIFIL’s…
Landmines, and other unexploded ordnances remain a serious threat in south Lebanon and UNIFIL deminers, together with other stakeholders, continue their relentless search for unexploded remnants of war. Here is the link to…
Just before 3 p.m. on April 6, UNIFIL radar detected multiple rocket launches from three locations in southern Lebanon toward Israel. Explosions were heard over the south, including the mission’s Naqoura headquarters, as…
Recently an Explosive Ordnance Risk Education event was organized at Al Tahrir High School in Al Sultaniyah village, south Lebanon. The event, a joint effort of many stakeholders, aimed to raise awareness among students of…
UNIFIL Maritime Task Force is the first naval component in the history of United Nations peacekeeping operations and was deployed in Lebanon under Security Council Resolution 1701 back in 2006. The Task Force has, since the…
Close cooperation between the Lebanese Armed Forces and UNIFIL is necessary, not just to accomplish the mandate, but to achieve common goals of stability and security so that people in south Lebanon have the chance to live…
Because the fishing profession is seasonal and depends largely on favorable weather conditions, fishermen cannot go out to sea during stormy or rainy days, or even when the wind is too strong during the summertime. To…
Recently, UNIFIL Civil Affairs joined the Gender Advisory Unit in collaboration with UN Women and the Professional Mediation Center of Saint-Joseph University to support a women mediation training aimed at enhancing women's…
On 11 December 2006, in a Tripartite meeting, a Liaison and Coordination Arrangement was agreed by UNIFIL, the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Israel Defense Forces. UNIFIL's Liaison mechanism plays a crucial role to prevent…