Image Credit: BBSNews.
Cessation of Hostilities in Lebanon Holding
UNIFIL via BBSNews 2006-08-25 -- Naqoura, Lebanon. There has been no change in the Lebanese Army deployment since yesterday. The cessation of hostilities was maintained in general in the past 24 hours. No incidents and breaches of the cessation of hostilities or air violations were recorded.
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Area map showing Israel, Lebanon and surrounding countries.
Image Credit: BBSNews. |
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 distributed 53, 000 liters of drinking water to villages of Meiss El Jebel, El Khiam, Houle Ebel Es Saqi, Al Duhayra, Yarin, Tibnin hospital, Alma Achaab, Kafra, Haddathah, Al Hinniyah. UNIFIL provided local people of Mashta Al Izziyah generator for water pumping. UNIFIL also provided medical assistance to the local population.
UNIFIL demolished unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Kunin village, while a team of Mine Action Coordination Center continued controlled demolition of unexploded ordnance in the areas of Yohmor, Ras Al Ain, Deir Al Zahrani, Siddiqin and Majdal Silim.
A group of additional hundred and fifty French soldiers arrived today to Naqoura to reinforce UNIFIL.
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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