Two teams, alpha and bravo, consisting of Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) soldiers and UNIFIL Italian Battalion (ITALBATT) peacekeepers, are tasked to overcome hostile guards, breach a building and apprehend a target.

This was one of the scenarios for a five-day intensive training session that brought together the 2nd Cavalry Squadron of UNIFIL’s Italian Battalion and LAF’s 2nd Infantry Battalion.

 Sometimes referred to as close-quarters battle or CQB, it essentially entails combat between two adversaries that takes place in small spaces as opposed to out in the open with longer ranges and distances between the opponents. These kinds of tactical maneuvers require special skills, preparedness, and coordination between the teams, offering an ideal opportunity for the LAF and UNIFIL to conduct exercises together.

 The barracks of LAF’s 5^th regiment in Tyr, South Lebanon, provided the perfect setting, a complex of specially constructed infrastructure and buildings designed specifically for urban warfare and close-quarter combat scenarios. UNIFIL contingents often train together with LAF soldiers at this training site, sharing their knowledge and techniques while getting to know each other better. Such regular cooperation is key to keeping the Lebanese Armed Forces and peacekeepers up to date and primed.

 The LAF and UNIFIL have a partnership that is multifaceted and has its foundation established within Security Council Resolution 1701. For more than fifteen years soldiers and peacekeepers have been working together, whenever possible, to ensure relative calm and stability in southern Lebanon.