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France commits 2 000 troops
25/08/2006 07:27 - (SA)
Beirut - Another 170 French troops were set to arrive in Lebanon on Friday to reinforce UN peacekeepers near the border with Israel, their commanding officer said.
French President Jacques Chirac on Thursday pledged another 1 600 troops for UNIFIL, bringing the French commitment to 2 000.
The troops from the 13 engineering and 2nd foreign engineering regiments were due to arrive in the southern Lebanese coastal town of Naqura along with trucks, bulldozers, dump trucks, generators and water purification equipment.
The soldiers, specialists in de-mining and reconstruction, will be under the command of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Admiral Xavier Magne told AFP.
'Gigantic task'
A first contingent of 49 engineers arrived on Saturday. France already had 200 troops serving with UNIFIL.
"The different protagonists (in the fighting in Lebanon) left behind a certain amount of unexploded ordinance, whether unexploded bombs, anti-personnel or anti-tank mines, or various explosive devices," he said.
"It is a gigantic task that we will have to work at in the days to come," he added.
The amphibious assault craft Foudre will be also be delivering armoured vehicles to help with de-mining.
"Our mission, about which some details remain to be worked out, will be to support the mobility of UNIFIL and Lebanese army forces in their redeployment in southern Lebanon," said Colonel Christophe Issac, the commanding officer of the engineers detachment.
UN force to monitor ceasefire
Created in 1978, UNIFIL currently has 2 000 troops at its disposal.
Under UN security council resolution 1701, which ended the 34 days of fierce fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, the ineffectual UN force is to be expanded to up to 15 000 troops to help monitor the ceasefire.
EU foreign ministers were due to meet in Brussels on Friday to nail down troop offers from member states. Italy may contribute up to 3 000 troops, and Spain 800.
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