Temporary force of the United Nations in Lebanon

The temporary Force of the United Nations in Lebanon ( FINUL ) was installation by the resolutions 425 (1978) and 426 of the the United Nations in March 1978 on the initiative of the general French Jean Cuq, following the escalation of violence along the border israélo - Lebanon ease which had culminated with the invasion of Lebanon by Israel. It was deployed at the origin with 4 000 men out of 650 km ².

It was ordered by the Major general (FRA) Alain Pellegrini, which succeeded the general Lalit Mohan Tewari whose mandate had been completed the February 17th 2004.

The most recent extension of this mandate was carried out by the Résolution 1697 of the Safety advice of the July 31st 2006, which renews its mandate until the August 31st 2006.

With the n° resolution 1701 of the Safety advice of the United Nations, it was decided to reinforce to 15.000 soldiers the quota of the FINUL in the Lebanon of the South, of which the half will be Europeans. Its mission will be to support the 15.000 soldiers of the Lebanese army, to form a buffer zone between Lebanon and Israel. One can notice that this force does not have an air support on dissuasive level in the event of conflict.

Mission

Its mandate is of:

To confirm the departure of the Israeli troops of the southern of Lebanon
To restore peace and international safety
To help the Lebanese government to restore its effective authority in the area

Organization

Its manpower enormously varied since 1978, increasing or dropping according to the situation on the spot, thus whereas in 1999, they were of 4.500 men, they reached 7935 in 2000 during the Israeli withdrawal of South-Lebanon.

In 2005

With the December 31st 2005, it counted 1.989 soldiers and 390 civil agents. Its general headquarter is with Naqoura, in the south of Lebanon; 600 soldiers there are stationed, the 1.400 others, primarily Chinese, Ghanaian and Indiens, but also 200 soldiers French, are divided in 43 stations along the border.
It is assisted by the Organisme of the United Nations in charge of the monitoring of the truce (ONUST) made up of about fifty observers including 3 French.

It is structured in:

1 Ghanaian battalion of infantry in the western part of Lebanon of the South
1 Indian battalion of infantry in the part is
1 detachment of genius Chinese
1 logistic detachment Polish
1 detachment Italian helicopter
1 French detachment of 202 men

The French detachment is composed as for him of:

the staff France like that of the Force
of the 420e detachment of support (DetSout) armed by the 601 {{E}} RCR since the month with September 2006 (65e mandate of the FINUL) for one duration four months.

Mission of the 420e DetSout:

Protection of the staff of the Force with Naqoura
Support of tactical vehicles of the Force
free Medical help for the population

FINUL 2 in 2006

With the adoption of n° resolution 1701, and the coming into effect of a mission of prohibition of entry in the zone with any other military force that the Lebanese Armed , the FINUL was reinforced during the autumn 2006.

The PC is always stationed in Naqoura and the deployed units are the following ones:

Western Brigade

a Bataillon of infantry Italy
a Bataillon of cavalry light Italy
a Bataillon of Infanterie mechanized France with in particular of the Leclerc
a Bataillon of Infanterie Ghana

Brigade Is

a battalion of motorized Infanterie Spain
a battalion of Infanterie India
a battalion of Infanterie
a battalion of Infanterie

6 companies of Génie (France - Belgium - Portugal - China - Turkey - Ireland/Finland
a company of Infantry mechanized in QRF ( Quick response force ) (Daman operation for France)
a detachment of Infantry motorized France
a detachment of Helicopter S Italy
a Battalion of logistical support Poland
a medical unit Belgium

The FINUL does not have an air deterrent power.

Financing

Financing: the appropriations open for purposes of the financing of the mission are related to a separate account. In fact the Member States of UNO finance. The United States pays nearly a quarter of those. Open appropriations: July 1st, 2006 - June 30th, 2007: 350,87 million American dollars (source: site UNO).

Chiefs of the force

Of March 1978 with? : Jean Cuq, (France).
Of 2000 to the January 15th 2001: Rolf Goran Knutsson, (Sweden).
Of the January 15th 2001 with April 2005: Staffan de Mistura, (Sweden).
Since April 2005: Geir Perdersen (Norway).

Commanders of the force

Of March 1978 with February 1981: Emmanuel A. Erskine, (Ghana).
Of February 1981 with May 1986: William Callaghan, (Ireland).
Of June 1986 with June 1988: Gustav Hägglund, (Finland).
Of July 1988 with February 1993: Lars-Eric Wahlgren, (Sweden).
Of February 1993 with February 1995: Trond Furuhovde, (Norway).
Of April 1995 at October 1st 1997: Stanislaw Franciszek Wozniak, (Poland).
Of February 1997 with September 1999: Jioje Konousi Koronte, (Fiji).
Of the September 30th at February 1st 1999: James Sreenan, (Ireland).
Of the November 16th 1999 with the May 15th 2001: Seth Kofi Obeng, (Ghana).
Of May 15th to August 17th 2001: Ganesan Athmanathan, (India).
Of the August 17th 2001 with the February 17th 2004: Lalit Mohan Tewari, (India).
Of the February 17th 2004 with the February 2nd 2007: Alain Pellegrini (France).
Since the February 2nd 2007: Claudio Graziano, (Italy).

Decoration

Medal of the FINUL

The ribbon

The ribbon is composed of three broad band blue UNO (9 mm), clear green (11 mm) and blue UNO (9 mm) separated by three narrow bands (1 mm of width each one) white, red and white.

Attribution

This medal is decreed in 90 days recognition of service, starting from March 19th, 1978.

Deceased on mission

Since 1978 one counts, in September 2006, 258 members of Finul died on mission for what it is necessary to add hundreds of wounded:

249 soldiers 2 military observers 3 members of the international civil personnel 4 members of the local civil personnel

From 1978 to 1998, the losses were distributed as follows:

Accidents: 93
hostile Acts: 83
Diseases: 42
Others: 10
Total: 228

The list of 250 members of the FINUL died at the time of the mission is engraved on a concrete plate placed vis-a-vis the hotel Rest house of Tyr.

Since their arrival, the international soldiers were struck at one time or with another by almost all the actors of the Guerre of Lebanon, thus in 1978, a French general ordering the French forces receives 17 balls in a ambush assembled by a Palestinian group, on December 21st, 1983, the Hezbollah attacks French soldiers of the FINUL in Southern Lebanon. Assessment: 10 died, of which a French soldier, and 110 wounded while four others succumbed at the time of the July 25th, 2006 in their shelter when their station was destroyed by an Israeli bomb, whereas the surroundings had been bombarded for several hours. Another tower had wiped shootings two days before.

Shrinking of the turns

July 28th, 2006 the FINUL evacuates its two last towers of observation.

List participating countries

Here the countries which will take part in this reinforced FINUL (Unifil Plus in English):

Germany: units of support naval, air and logistic coastal (Kriegsmarine};
Belgium: 302 then 394 soldiers;
Brunei: 200;
Bulgaria: a team of doctors and 50 soldiers;
Cyprus: will place its infrastructures at the disposal of the force; `
Denmark: three corvettes to fight against the smuggling of weapons;
Spain: 1.100 soldiers;
the United States: helps logistic and of planning only.
Finland: 250 sappers;
France: 1.600 soldiers will be added to the 400 current ones in place;
Great Britain: a frigate and aircraft (2 AWACS and 6 Jaguar stationed with Akrotiri);
Greece: a frigate, a helicopter and special forces amphibian;
Indonesia: 1.000 soldiers including 150 sappers;
Italy, operation Leonte : 2.500 soldiers. Italy will direct this force as of February 2007.
Malaysia: 1.000 soldiers;
Nepal: 850 soldiers;
Norway: 4 high-speed motorboats with a hundred team members;
New Zealand: a reduced quota, because of the missions with Eastern Timor and with the the Solomon Islands;
Poland: 500 soldiers (of which 214 already places from there at Lebanon);
Portugal: 140 sappers;
Qatar: 200 to 300 soldiers
Slovenia: 10 to 20 soldiers;
Sweden: a corvette with on board 80 sailors;
Turkey: 5.000 (?) ;
China: (?) Average genius in load of the operations mine clearances;

Still undecided country: Australia, Bangladesh, China, Ireland, Morocco and Pakistan.

See too

French Forces out of the metropolis

External bonds

the FINUL on the site of UNO
File on the FINUL on '' Peace operations '', University of Quebec
Mandate UNIFIL in South-Lebanon in 1985, testimony of Balaire max, chief of the French provostal brigade of Naquoura

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