UNIFIL conducts maritime exercise

BEIRUT, Lebanon, July 15 (UPI) -- Peacekeepers with the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon conducted maritime exercises off the coast of Lebanon to facilitate cooperation with the Lebanese navy.

The maritime task force of UNIFIL deployed off the coast of Lebanon in 2006 following the 34-day conflict between Hezbollah fighters and the Israeli military.

The task force seeks to curtail arms smuggling in the region and has referred roughly 300 suspect vessels to Lebanese authorities since their operation began.

Maj. Gen. Claudio Graziano, the force commander for UNIFIL, said Lebanese participation in the recent exercise was vital to national security.

"The Lebanese navy's participation in this exercise is of paramount importance in light of the future hand-over of the full responsibility of their territorial water," he said.

Italian naval forces assumed responsibility over the U.N. maritime task force in June. It is the first naval force deployed as part of a U.N. peacekeeping mission.

UNIFIL is among the longest-standing U.N. peacekeeping missions, deployed in Lebanon since 1978. Its mandate was revamped in the wake of the 2006 conflict to expand operations along the southern Lebanese border with Israel.