The Joint Forces Operational Commander (COVI), Army Corps General Francesco Paolo Figliuolo, concluded an official visit to Lebanon.
Accompanied by the commander of the Sector West of UNIFIL, Brigadier General Enrico Fontana, visited the personnel included in the Karantina base Italian Bilateral Military Mission in Lebanon (MIBIL), led by Colonel Sandro Iervolino.
MIBIL, through its Mobile Training Team, conducts training and training activities for the benefit of Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), to which civil-military cooperation activities and humanitarian support to the population were added in 2023. General Figliuolo recalled the use of teams of Italian military doctors and nurses who operate in the emergency room of the Beirut military hospital and thanks to whom Italy is providing invaluable support, not only to the soldiers and the families of the members to the LAF, but also to other Lebanese citizens in need of care.
Subsequently, the delegation reached the headquarters of the Defense General Staff for a meeting with General Joseph Aoun, head of the Lebanese Armed Forces.
At the Naqoura base, where the headquarters of the UN mission is located, General Figliuolo was welcomed by theHead of Mission e Force Commander of UNIFIL Spanish Major General Aroldo Làzaro Sàenz.
During the meeting we spoke about the importance of keeping communication channels open with the parties, continuing to work towards de-escalation in the south of the country, preventing and mitigating tensions and misunderstandings. For this reason, the action and the fundamental presence of UN troops on the ground, together with that of the regular Lebanese armed forces, continues uninterruptedly, implementing all security measures.
Before leaving the base, he greeted the Task Force ITALAIR, the Italian helicopter component of UNIFIL.
The visit continued in Shama, where the COVI commander was updated on the current situation in southern Lebanon and on the activities conducted by the Italian units in the area of operations assigned to them, close to the Blue Line, the dividing line with the State of Israel.
In the base named after Lieutenant Andrea Millevoi he met the Italian blue helmets of the Joint Task Force - Lebanon, including the personnel of the Italian Battalion (ITALBATT), a maneuver unit led by Colonel Alberto Salvador and made up of men and women of the "Taurinense" Alpine Brigade ”.
“The role of this contingent is necessary today more than ever”, General Figliuolo underlined while addressing the Italian soldiers. In extending them the greetings of the Minister of Defense, the Hon. Guido Crosetto and the Chief of Staff of the Defense Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, also recalled: “We are here to support the Lebanese Authorities and Armed Forces not only to preserve and protect a model of coexistence between different cultures and religions, but also to remove as much as possible the specter of a conflict that other forces are trying to expand in this area . Italian and UNIFIL soldiers are a bulwark in defense of stability and peace."
The joint military missions conducted by the Italian Armed Forces both abroad and on national territory, including MIBIL and the "LEONTE" operation - part of the UNIFIL force - are carried out under the coordination, direction and according to the directives given by COVI .
COVI is the top command of the Joint Forces operational area and also performs the functions of staff body of the Chief of Defense Staff for the planning, coordination and direction of military operations and exercises at national and international level conducted in the five domains: land, sea, sky, space and cyber.
