Just like much of UNIFIL troops of 45 nationalities, the UN Mission’s peacekeepers from Nepal conduct daily foot patrols that are critical in maintaining stability in south Lebanon.

Observing, monitoring and reporting the security situation on the ground, UNIFIL Nepalese peacekeepers conduct mixed-gender patrols in the village of Meiss Ej-Jebel.

Patrols, especially foot patrols such as this, play a pivotal role in enhancing UNIFIL’s visible presence on the ground, thereby serving as a confidence building tool for communities to feel secure, while also deterring potential threats. All of UNIFIL operational activities are coordinated with the Lebanese Armed Forces.

For Captain Sony Khadka, a female peacekeeper from Nepal, and patrol commander in this area of operation, monitoring and reporting is one of the most essential cores of patrolling.

“We conduct foot patrols every day along the Blue Line for a period of three hours, and when we see any suspicious activities in our area of operations, we report them to our battalion, while continuing to monitor the situation on the ground.”

Lieutenant Doctor Rakshya Bhandari emphasizes the main objective of these daily patrols.

“Patrolling is one of the most visible activities we have been doing in south Lebanon for many years, in order to implement the Mission’s mandate and the implementation of the Security Council Resolution 1701. Our patrols are vital and critical for the stability in (south) Lebanon and the region.”

UNIFIL patrols, conducted by UNIFIL’s military personnel, are the most visible component of the UNIFIL’s work in south Lebanon. The peacekeeping mission carries out some 450 activities every single day, holidays included.

Nepal is one of the 45 troop contributing countries of UNIFIL, with 870 peacekeepers on the ground serving for peace in this region since 1978. Their troops rotate every year.

UNIFIL’s some 10,400 peacekeepers serve for peace in south Lebanon and in the Lebanese territorial waters. Many of these troops regularly carry out operational activities jointly with peacekeepers from different nationalities in a truly multinational environment.