Image Credit: BBSNews.
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) 2006-08-18
UNIFIL via BBSNews 2006-08-18 -- Naqoura, Lebanon. In accordance with Resolution 1701, the Israeli Army continued yesterday the withdrawal from Lebanese territory, and the Lebanese Army deployed troops further south of the Litani River in the areas vacated by the IDF. These operations are conducted in close coordination and with the support of UNIFIL.
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Area map showing Israel, Lebanon and surrounding countries.
Image Credit: BBSNews. |
The Israeli Army withdrew today from the areas of Yatar and Haddathah in the central sector. They handed over control to UNIFIL, which established a number of checkpoints and patrolled these areas to verify the withdrawal of the Israeli Army.
The Lebanese Armed Forces completed the process of deployment inside the territory vacated earlier by the IDF, while UNIFIL controls a buffer zone to the south, between the Lebanese Army and the IDF. Significant numbers of troops of the Lebanese Army are deployed in Tyre and south of Tyre to Qulayah and in the general area of Tibnin, and in the area of Marjayoun, where a brigade HQ was established.
The Israeli Army withdrawal and the deployment of the Lebanese Army shall continue in the coming days in accordance with the plan and timeline agreed during a trilateral meeting of the Force Commander UNIFIL and the senior representatives of the Lebanese and Israeli Army.
The cessation of hostilities was generally maintained in the past 24 hours. There were no reports of incidents or breaches of the agreement, the parties have not fired into the territory of or at the other side, and there were no attempts to occupy any additional territory.
On two instances yesterday morning, Israeli aircraft violated Lebanese airspace in the central sector. Also, violation of the Blue Line on the ground in Shebaa area has resumed. Yesterday, two Lebanese shepherds and approx. 100 sheep crossed the Blue Line towards Israel. Such incidents can endanger very fragile and tense situation.
UNIFIL continued intensive ground and air patrolling throughout its area of operation to assess the situation on the ground and to monitor the cessation of hostilities. UNIFIL de-mining team from the Chinese contingent carried out operations to clear unexploded ordnance (UXO) in the area of Al-Qantarah.
UNIFIL has been providing water and food to villages of Ayta Achaab and Al Bustan. It is reported that the internally displaced people continue to return in numbers in the villages in the UNIFIL area of operation.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was created in 1978 as an interim force to observe the Israeli withdrawal in Lebanon. On March 11th, 1978 Palestiniain Liberation Organizations militants claimed responsibility for an attack that killed and wounded many Israelis. As a result, Israel invaded southern Lebanon proceeding to occupy much of the south of the country.According to a UNIFIL document and showing that the UN Security Council acted with dispatch in the matter during 1978: "On 19 March, the Council adopted resolutions 425 (1978) and 426 (1978), in which it called upon Israel immediately to cease its military action and withdraw its forces from all Lebanese territory. It also decided on the immediate establishment of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). The first UNIFIL troops arrived in the area on 23 March 1978."
Israel largely withdrew from Lebanon in 2000 but repeated violations by both sides documented by UNIFIL, especially during 2005 and early 2006 led to increased tensions. This coupled with the Israeli incursion into Gaza devolved into a fierce confrontation between militants and Israeli forces in July 2006. Currently UNIFIL is operating under a new resolution pertaining to this latest Israel-Lebanon war, UN resolution 1701 (2006) calling for a cease-fire.
These dispatches from UNIFIL offer an impartial glimpse into what is happening on the ground in Lebanon.
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