A UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) armored personnel carrier departed from its base on October 5th to patrol near the Lebanese-Israel border.
Karl Cote/Getty Images
Over the past week, the United Nations says Israeli forces have opened fire on peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, forced entry into bases, shut down logistics and injured more than a dozen soldiers.
Israel’s attack on the peacekeeping mission, which has been operating in Lebanon for more than 45 years, has been widely condemned by the international community. UNIFIL, the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, called the violations “shocking”, while Israel accuses Hezbollah of operating in areas near UNIFIL garrisons.
So what is UNIFIL and what does it do?
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was established by the United Nations Security Council following Israel’s first invasion of southern Lebanon in 1978.
Its mission was to confirm the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the country, restore international peace and security, and assist the Lebanese government in regaining effective authority in the region. In June 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon for the second time and subsequently established a security zone within the country, which remained in place until its withdrawal in 2000.
In 2000, UNIFIL established the Blue Line, a 120-kilometer (approximately 75-mile) stretch of territory along southern Lebanon, to ensure the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces. Due to the ongoing border dispute between Lebanon and Israel, the border serves as a de facto border between the two countries.
The mission is comprised of more than 10,000 personnel from 50 countries, the majority of whom are military. Indonesia, Italy, India, Nepal, Ghana and Malaysia are contributing the most troops. UNIFIL forces are tasked with monitoring border violations and ensuring security in areas including Hezbollah strongholds.
Learn more about UNIFIL and its features here.
