Italian blue helmets of UNIFIL Mission in Lebanon open a new training method “door to door” which has consolidated the increase, from the beginning of the month, of the 25% of trained personnel from Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).

The aim of the Contingent is to ensure the full operational capability for LAF

​The Italian Contingent of UNIFIL Joint Task Force Lebanon (JTF-L) – Sector West (SW), since February, started a change of strategy in joint training with Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).

For the first time since 2006, within UNIFIL mission, Study of Mission and Patrol Formation courses took place in the Training Hub of Chawakeer (in the southern suburbs of Tyre), thus introducing a new training method in the sector unit headquarters and “at home”.

LAF training “at home” complements a well-established system, allowing an increase at an exponential rate of the number of trained, using Lebanese military structures; the saving of vehicles employed enhances joint patrolling and the level of complexity of training.

In fact, the two courses contributed in a very short time to increase of 25% in trained personnel. The introduction of the new method allowed training of 160 units on 800, in less than 4 months, as compared to 20 units trained for single training activity with the previous method.

Chawakeer will be the location, at the end of February, of an important exercise, together with LAF, called “Blue Hammer 2”, to which the Lebanese highest military officials have already been invited, including the leaders of Internal Security Forces (ISF) and Lebanese State Security (LST). During the exercise, which will represent the prosecution of the phase developed during the pre-mission training of “Garibaldi” Bersaglieri Brigade, SW leading unit, individual skills acquired, ability of patrolling and conducting complex tactical activity in urban areas will be tested.

In the recent past, the PIO skill course, headed by the Public Information Cell of the Italian Contingent, and the VIP escort course, led by Carabinieri of SW MP (Military Police) Unit, were developed in favor of LAF. The aim of the Contingent is to ensure the full operational capability for LAF and a continuous increase in capacity of the same Armed Forces in the control of the area south of the Litani River, as stated in the UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

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