The goal of the UNIFIL forces engaged in southern Lebanon is to maintain peace and security in the area of operation. For blue helmets this translates concretely into the control of the Blue Line the demarcation line between the Israeli and Lebanese territory sanctioned and created by the UN with the aim of restoring stability in the area.
The activity of peacekeepers on the Blue Line it is large and constant and 50% of the many patrols take place at night.
To increase the effectiveness of this control the Joint Task Force Lebanon Sector West has further increased its presence by conducting sixty operations in recent months Jackpot.
La Jackpot operation is characterized by 36 hours of constant presence on the Blue Line in which the patrols from the Italian, Ghanaian and Irish battalion employees with the support of Koreans and Malaysians move and coordinate by setting up observation posts and footed patrols that increase the effectiveness of the control of the area.
This modus operandi recorded more than 2000 hours of continuous presence on the blue line, improving the quality and quantity of the information reports coming from the patrolling activities.
A considerable effort but that led to further periods of stability, as recalled by the gen. b. Fulco, commander of the Sector West speaking to his men: “You have secured an additional eight months of peace in this area. A result that, if it may seem easy today, in past years did not seem at all obvious. Our presence, our work allows a rare stability in this geographical area. you must be proud of it "
Despite the health emergency, the blue helmets of the Sector West, currently on the basis of the “Granatieri di Sardegna” brigade have managed to keep the number and frequency of operational activities unchanged.
In order to operate safely, the units have adapted to the use of the personal protective equipment provided, not allowing any drop in operational capacity, demonstrating that they have fully understood the importance of their role as peacekeeper in the land of the cedars.
