Joint Maneuvers in Naqoura as Graziano Says 1701″s Major Achievement is Army Deployment
U.N. peacekeepers and the Lebanese army held joint maneuvers in the coastal town of Naqoura on Thursday as part of efforts to improve their skills.
The exercise was held by the Field Artillery Group as part of UNIFIL”s quick reaction force with the Lebanese Armed Forces 65th Artillery Battalion 1 km south of UNIFIL Headquarters in Naqoura.
The maneuvers fall within the peacekeepers” regular training schedule to hone their skills and expertise.
UNIFIL Commander Maj. Gen. Claudio Graziano who oversaw the exercise said the most important achievement of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 was the deployment of the Lebanese army in the south where it works to spread stability in cooperation and coordination with peacekeepers.
He described the maneuvers as "necessary and important," adding that "they allow the Lebanese army to improve its skills" in order to establish full sovereignty over all territories after the withdrawal of peacekeepers.
Graziano said the army proved that it is a "strategic partner."
During the exercise, which is the fourth of its kind, the battle group fired several rounds of artillery at targets located off the coastline. The first such joint maneuvers were conducted in December 2008.