General Portolano, head of mission and force commander of Unifil, took part in the event, together with numerous Lebanese military and religious authorities and in the presence of the Belgian defense minister, Steven Vandeput.
The commander of Unifil, in his speech, expressed words of appreciation for the meritorious work carried out by the blue helmets, recalling that "since 2006, when the Task Force began demining activities in southern Lebanon, almost 2 million square meters of land have been cleared and more than 14.000 artifacts neutralized, including sub ammunition and mines ”. '' Since 2009 the activity of the Unit has focused on demining the access routes to the Blue Line for the installation of the blue identification pylons of the Demarcation Line. Since then 365 mines have been defused and almost 4 kilometers of land cleared ''.
"The great contribution made by the contingent to peace and stability in the area", added the commander of Unifil, also materialized with the installation, from the 2006 to the 2009, of a field hospital in the city of Tibnin, which has provided medical care to more than 9.000 patients, and with the support provided to the Maritime Task Force, in the 2008 and 2009, in patrolling the waters in front of Lebanon ''.
Finally, General Portolano, thanking the peacekeepers for the work done for the full implementation of Resolution 1701, wanted to remember those soldiers who, in carrying out their duty, sacrificed their lives.
This ceremony effectively sanctions the reduction of the contributing countries of Unifil from 38 to 36. In fact, the mission of the military representation of Luxembourg, which has so far operated integrated into the Belgian Task Force, also ends.
Source: Unifil MPIO, Naqoura - Maj. Fabrizio Farese
