The soldiers of the third contingent of the National Army, deployed in the mission of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), have officially begun their activity. As part of a ceremony held at the multinational base in the town of Shama, they took over the duties of the Latvian peacekeepers, who were part of the Italian contingent, reports IPN.

In the presence of the West Sector commander, Brigadier General Roberto Vergori, as well as soldiers from Italy, Latvia, and the Republic of Moldova, the UNIFIL-3 commander, Lieutenant Colonel Dumitru Viniciuc, took over the UN flag and the responsibilities of the position, according to a press release from the Ministry of Defense.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon was established to support the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, the restoration of peace and international security, and to provide assistance to the Lebanese government in reestablishing its authority in the area. UNIFIL’s mandate is renewed annually by the UN Security Council.

The decision of the Republic of Moldova to participate in UNIFIL was approved by the Parliament in November 2021. The first four soldiers of the National Army were deployed to Lebanon in August 2022, and the second contingent, consisting of 33 soldiers, was on mission between February and October 2024.

The third contingent, consisting of 32 Moldovan soldiers, arrived in Lebanon on September 8.