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War in the Middle East: in southern Lebanon, French UNIFIL soldiers on the front line
War in the Middle East: in southern Lebanon, French UNIFIL soldiers on the front line
(France 2)
A base for UN peacekeepers is located in southern Lebanon, devastated by Israeli army strikes. It welcomes a contingent of French soldiers who are part of the United Nations force in Lebanon, UNIFIL. The 20 Heures went to meet them.
In southern Lebanon, villages are deserted, devastated by Israeli army strikes. In the middle of this war zone, there is a Blue Helmet base. This is a contingent of French soldiers who are part of the United Nations force in Lebanon, UNIFIL. Its mission is to observe and then record everything that happens in the air and on the ground. Not far from the base, we hear and see the fighting, which has become intense over the past week.
These peacekeepers are mandated by a UN resolution. It prohibits in theory, in southern Lebanon, the operations of the Israeli army and Hezbollah. Currently, there are 10,000 men under Spanish command, including French and around ten other nationalities. Since the intensification of Israeli strikes, they hardly ever leave their base. 334 peacekeepers have lost their lives since the establishment of UNIFIL in 1978. If the Israeli army launches a ground offensive, it will find itself at the forefront.
Watch the full report in the video above.