The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) 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 international peace and security, and help the Government of Lebanon restore its effective authority in the area. In March 2006, China sent an engineer battalion to Lebanon to carry out mine clearing, road repairing, and humanitarian assistance missions. This was the first time that China sent peacekeepers to the Middle East region.

The unit consists of a mine-sweeping company, a construction company, a logistics support company, and a field hospital. Its personnel was selected from the engineer regiment of the 14th Group Army in the Chengdu Military Region. Currently the unit has a total strength of 335 troops.

In September 2006, the Chinese premier Wen Jiabao announced that China was to increase its peacekeeping presence in Lebanon to 1,000 troops. The move would make China one of the largest contributors to a strengthened UN force designed to keep the peace.

Last update: 9 February 2009