Italy Takes Command of UNIFIL Maritime Task Force
UNIFIL Maritime Task Force (MTF) underwent on Monday a transfer of command from Germany to Italy for the next six months, UNIFIL said in a statement.
In a ceremony aboard German flagship FGS Schleswig-Holstein at Beirut Harbour, Rear Admiral Paolo Sandalli of Italy assumed command from Germany”s Rear Admiral Jürgen Mannhardt.
UNIFIL Commander Maj.-Gen. Claudio Graziano paid special tribute to Germany for its competent leadership of MTF over the past months. He also praised the Lebanese navy”s performance.
"The combined employment of LAF-navy patrol craft and coastal radar in interdiction operations, the navy”s involvement in hailing merchant vessels and in the boarding and inspection of suspicious vessels at sea, including at night, have significantly contributed to securing Lebanese maritime borders," Graziano said.
UNIFIL-MTF assists the Lebanese navy in securing the territorial waters and helping prevent the unauthorized entry of arms or related material by sea into Lebanon.
Since the start of its operations on 15 October 2006, MTF has hailed around 28,000 ships and referred nearly 400 suspicious vessels to the Lebanese authorities for further inspections, the UNIFIL press release said.
Following Monday”s command changeover, UNIFIL-MTF will now comprise naval units from Germany (3 ships), Greece (1 ship), Italy (1 ship) and Turkey (1 ship).