LAF, UNIFIL jointly train in unarmed combat exercise

UNIFIL and LAF participants during a combat training session in At Tiri, South Lebanon.

Building up combat skills and confidence between the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and UNIFIL is the aim of the training.

LAF and UNIFIL participants share combat courses in order to build up trust.

Immobilize the opponent is part of the crowd riot control techniques.

UNIFIL instructor Sergeant McNamara congratulates one of the LAF participants.

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5 Feb 2015

LAF, UNIFIL jointly train in unarmed combat exercise

"The training that we are doing today is one of a series of courses that we deliver to LAF and UNIFIL soldiers to build up trust between both institutions" says Major Tadgh Murray, the Irish training officer conducting a series of training sessions for both Lebanese Armed Forces and UNIFIL peacekeepers.

In the framework of the exchange of expertise between UNIFIL and Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), unarmed combat courses were arranged by FINIRISHBATT under the instruction of Sector West Command which falls beyond building up combat skills only; it aims at building up confidence between the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and UNIFIL.

"First thing we do is some light sparring; this is just designed to build up the bravery in the students so they have the ability to stand in front of an opponent," added the instructor of UNIFIL FINIRISHBATT Sergeant Mc Namarra.

15 LAF soldiers along with 10 UNIFIL peacekeepers from the FINIRISHBATT benefitted from the latest unarmed combat course, added to 20 other LAF soldiers that attended the same course in previous intervals.

The unarmed combat course is one of a series of ongoing courses that UNIFIL's FINIRISHBATT kicked off two years.

This training program also includes in addition to the unarmed combat skills, crowd riot control, and medical services delivered by Finnish troops.