Dramatic boarding exercise with the Lebanese Navy and UNIFIL MTF
Out at sea a crackle comes over the radio: “Motor Vessel Sam, this is the Lebanese Navy. You cannot enter the Lebanese territorial waters from this position.” The reply from the Brazilian ship is uncooperative: “Lebanese Navy, time is money, and I cannot stop my engines and alter my course.” The…
UNIFIL Head of Mission Major General Beary meets with Foreign Minister Bassil
UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Michael Beary today met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants of the Republic of Lebanon, Gebran Bassil, in Beirut. The UNIFIL Head of Mission expressed his appreciation for the commitment and continued support by the Government…
Tyre's ancient hippodrome hosts gruelling military Olympiad
The unit of six UNIFIL French peacekeepers, carrying a stretcher with a colleague strapped to it, turned the corner and saw the menacing lattice of ropes about 50 cm off the ground glinting in the afternoon light. They hardly broke their pace as they yelled instructions to each other, and then…
New Spanish commander takes over UNIFIL’s Sector East
A new Spanish Contingent, Brigadier General Venancio Aguado de Diego, took over the command of the Contingent and UNIFIL’s Sector East amidst a special ceremony at the Sector Headquarters in Marjayoun on 20 May. In his address, the outgoing commander, Brigadier General Aroldo Lazaro Saenz said:…
UNIFIL Indian peacekeepers participate in walk for health awareness
More than 50 Indian UNIFIL peacekeepers today participated in the Annual Health Awareness Walk, organized by Lebanese Red Cross in in the south-eastern Lebanese town of Marjayoun in close collaboration with the local Atallah Gym. The walk was organised in support of World No Tobacco Day, which is…
UNIFIL observes the International Day of UN Peacekeepers
UNIFIL observes the International Day of UN Peacekeepers
The First Woman to Command a UNIFIL Contingent
Last week Major Nina Raduha, from Slovenia, became the first woman contingent commander in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). She took charge of UNIFIL’s Slovenian Contingent on 22 May 2017. This is also her first deployment to a UN peacekeeping operation. She said she is…
UNIFIL Celebrates 2017 World Environment Day
UNIFIL joined with hundreds of UN organizations and agencies to celebrate 2017 World Environment Day on 5 June 2017 at an event held in Naqoura, south Lebanon. At the event UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Michael Beary addressed the assembled crowd, “This important day in…
Italian blue helmets celebrate Italian National Day in Lebanon.
UNIFIL’s Italian Aviation headquarters in Naqoura was a fitting setting for the 71st Anniversary of the Italian Republic. The day was commemorated by UNIFIL’s Italian contingents, with the presence of Mr. Imran RIZA, Deputy Head of Mission, and the Italian Contingent Commander in Naqoura, Colonel…
10 laptops donated to Kleyaa Public School
UNIFIL’s Force Commander Reserve (FCR) inaugurated a French-funded project at a public school in Kleyaa, south-eastern Lebanon, last week. The Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) project included the donation of 10 laptops to Kleyaa Public School, replacing as many desktop computers. About 180…
A reflection of 2006 war
I arrived (back) to South Lebanon in September 2005 for what was to be my fifth tour of peacekeeping duty with UNIFIL. Excited by the prospect of renewing old acquaintances and visiting the picturesque villages I was so familiar with from earlier years, my return felt more like a ‘home coming’…
UNIFIL peacekeepers donate blood during Ramadan
Major Nina Raduha, UNIFIL’s Slovenian Contingent commander, settles into the medical chair and stretches out her arm. Along with 100 UNIFIL peacekeepers from Italy, Slovenia, Ireland and Armenia, Major Raduha has volunteered to donate her blood to the Lebanese Red Cross (LRC). An LRC medic straps…