A few weeks after the renewal of the resolution of the United Nations Security Council which legitimizes its presence in Lebanon, the Italian Blue Helmets of the UNIFIL mission (United Nation Interim Force in Lebanon) continue relentlessly to ensure control of the vast area of responsibility together with the LAF (Lebanese Armed Forces), whose support is one of the pillars on which the UN mandate in the Land of the Cedars is based.
Cooperation, interoperability and coordination are the fundamental parameters on which the constant training activity conducted daily by the soldiers of the Italian maneuvering battalion operating in the western sector of the UNIFIL operations area is based, entrusted to the command of Brigadier General Giuseppe Bertoncello, who he also holds the role of commander of the National Contingent.
The last training module just concluded, developed jointly with the 5th brigade of the LAF, had as its scenario the operational approach in inhabited centers, with the aim of harmonizing the respective technical-tactical procedures. In particular, the training progression saw, in its initial phase, deepen the techniques of joint movement and the formations of a mixed patrol, to then focus attention on the environmental remediation of individual buildings of various conformation and nature.
During all phases, the injury of team members, their stabilization by military rescuers and subsequent exfiltration on tactical means were simulated. To raise the level of correspondence to the training reality, ammunition from simulation to marking nose cone was also used.
For joint training with the Lebanese Armed Forces, the Italian-led command of Western Sector of UNIFIL periodically puts in the field experienced Officers in the field of operational and training planning, organizing with instructors of the 5th Infantry Regiment Aosta of Messina and the regiment Aosta Lancers (6 °) of Palermo intense training activities in the Chewakeer polygon area, near the ancient Phoenician city of Tire.
This has allowed over time a real amalgamation between UNIFIL and LAF peacekeepers, thus guaranteeing an increase in mutual support, greater knowledge, better cooperation and coordination, for the purpose of a more efficient and effective use of the respective resources and the instrument. operating.
