Soldiers from the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF)’s Fifth Intervention Regiment played friendly volleyball and soccer games with UNIFIL peacekeepers at French-led Force Commander’s Reserve (FCR) last week.

LAF teams beat UNIFIL peacekeepers in both categories of the friendly sports event.

Prior to the game, organized at the main FCR base in Deir Kifa on 24 November, FCR Commander Colonel Dufilhol had welcomed the LAF players. There are more such activities planned between the two military units, who work shoulder-to-shoulder in keeping peace and stability in south Lebanon.

LAF’s Fifth Intervention Regiment was deployed to the UNIFIL area of operation (AO) in September and its soldiers are spread across the 1,060-square kilometre UNIFIL AO.

The LAF reinforcement has been welcomed by UNIFIL as a further strengthening of collaboration between UNIFIL and its strategic partner -  from joint patrolling to responding to incidents and violations faster and more effectively, especially around the Blue Line.