UNIFIL deminers recently completed clearance of unexploded ordnances at two UNIFIL positions along the Blue Line in Sector West.

In total, 6,260 square metres of land were cleared at these two positions (UN Positions 1-32A and 6-50), in Ras Naqoura and southwest of Yaroun respectively. These two UNIFIL positions were among those most affected by the recent hostilities.

In addition, the process to refurbish Blue Line markers damaged or destroyed during hostilities commenced recently, starting with one marker southwest of Yaroun. A UNIFIL assessment earlier this year had prioritized 10 out of 272 markers that dot the Blue Line for immediate refurbishment.

UNIFIL is also working with the Lebanese Mine Action Centre (LMAC), which is the demining arm of the Lebanese army, to start humanitarian demining in its area of operations in south Lebanon soon.

In March, UNIFIL and the Lebanese Army signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU), renewing the UN peacekeeping mission’s support for both humanitarian and operational demining in the south.

According to LMAC, more than 1.7 million civilians across Lebanon are at risk from UXO contamination following the recent conflict. Of those, at least 700,000 are located in southern Lebanon, with the majority residing within UNIFIL’s area of operations.

UNIFIL currently has 24 teams from China, Cambodia, France, Italy and Spain dealing with explosive ordnance reconnaissance, clearance and disposal.

***

Related article: Chinese peacekeepers start demining in second UNIFIL base