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UNIFIL reports weapons caches, completes clearance at two positions along Blue Line
Summary
The UN interim force in Lebanon reported finding unauthorized weapons caches and completed clearance of unexploded ordnance at two positions along the Blue Line, while hosting cessation-of-hostilities mechanism talks.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported that its peacekeepers continue to detect unauthorized weapons and ammunition caches in their area of operations and have completed demining work at two UN positions along the Blue Line.
Why it matters: Discoveries of weapons caches and continued clearance of unexploded ordnance affect security around the Lebanon-Israel maritime and land boundary and have implications for civilian risk and peacekeeping operations.
UNIFIL officials said that since the cessation of hostilities took effect in November last year, peacekeepers have detected 272 unauthorized weapons caches and referred them to the Lebanese Armed Forces. On June 23, UNIFIL detected an unguarded weapons cache containing boxes of ammunition and explosives in Sector East, the spokesperson reported.
UNIFIL deminers also completed clearance of unexploded ordnance at two UN positions in Sector West, clearing a total of 6,260 square meters of land. The force said it is working with the Lebanese Mine Action Center to begin humanitarian demining in its area of operations.
Separately, UNIFIL hosted a meeting of cessation-of-hostilities mechanisms at UN premises in Ras Nikkorra that was chaired by the United States and attended by the Lebanese Armed Forces, the Israeli Defense Forces and representatives of France. UNIFIL said its peacekeepers continue to observe an IDF presence and military air strikes in their area of operations.
Ending note: UNIFIL emphasized ongoing coordination with national authorities and partners while referring discovered caches to the Lebanese Armed Forces and advancing demining operations to reduce unexploded-ordnance hazards.
