UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Forces In Lebanon) was created by the United Nations, with the adoption of Security Council Resolution 425 and 426 on March 19, 1978, to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, restore the international peace and security, and help the Lebanese Government restore its effective authority in the area. The first UNIFIL troops arrived in the area on March 23, 1978.

When Israel briefly expanded its Lebanese incursion in 1982, U.N. positions were overrun. During the occupation, their function was mainly the provision of food and aid to locals in Southern Lebanon.

UNIFIL is currently primarily deployed along the U.N. drawn Blue Line dividing the Israeli occupied Sha'ba farms and southern Lebanon. Its activities have centred around monitoring military activity between Hizballah and the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) with the aim of reducing tensions and allaying continuing low-level armed conflict. UNIFIL has also played an important role in clearing landmines, assisting displaced persons, and providing humanitarian assistance in this underdeveloped region.

UNIFIL forces have fallen out of favour in Israel and little regard has been given to their safety by the IDF[1] following accusations that it was complicit in a fatal abduction of IDF soldiers in October 2000. Suspicions persist although the accusations are widely believed to be false[2].

To date UNIFIL has suffered over 250 fatalities during the course of its deployment.

See also

• Operation Litani
• Lebanese Civil War

External links

• UNIFIL - UN official website