Army-UNIFIL Conduct Exercise in Natural Disaster Response
The Lebanese army and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) conducted an exercise in large-scale disaster response over the weekend.
The two-day exercise entitled “United Beacon” was carried out in the southern city of Tyre in cooperation with a number of government and non-government organizations, said a statement issued by UNIFIL.
“The exercise was based on a fictitious scenario in reaction to a large humanitarian emergency in the aftermath of an earthquake,” it said.
The drill was aimed at enhancing the coordinated capability of all the participating agencies to effectively respond to an unforeseen natural disaster.
UNIFIL Chief-of-Staff Brig.-Gen. Xavier Woillemont and the Lebanese army’s South Litani Sector Commander, Brig. Gen. Sadek Tlais, attended the exercise on Sunday.
It involved 277 soldiers, 70 vehicles and two helicopters of the Lebanese army and UNIFIL.
Woillemont said: “We have to be always prepared to respond to any natural disaster within our available resources and capabilities in order to be ready to mitigate the resulting damage to life and property. An effective and immediate first response is paramount to reducing the number of casualties, to save lives, treat the injured, and to prevent further injury and other forms of loss.”
“This exercise is an important step in the continued efforts of UNIFIL and the Lebanese army to enhance our combined ability,” he added.
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