(Press statement - LAF Commander visits UNIFIL)

UNIFIL Force Commander Major-General Alberto Asarta Cuevas today received the Lebanese Armed Forces Commander General Jean Kahwagi at UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura.

Their meeting focused on the situation in southern Lebanon in view of the recent incidents and discussed ways to better coordinate the joint efforts of UNIFIL and the LAF in order to further enhance security control in the area.

Major-General Asarta renewed his condemnation of the attack against a UNIFIL vehicle near Tyre on 9 December that injured five UNIFIL peacekeepers and a civilian. He also expressed serious concern at the two incidents of rocket firing on 11 December and 29 November from UNIFIL's area of operations.

The LAF Commander later visited the UNIFIL French base at Deir Kifa where the headquarters of the UNIFIL Force Commander Reserve is located, to support the French contingent and to show solidarity with the soldiers who were injured during the attack in Tyre.