VITEBSK, 17 November (BelTA) – Plans are in place to increase the number of Belarusian peacekeepers in the mission of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, senior officer of the international military cooperation and peacekeeping activities department of the command of special operations forces of the Armed Forces of Belarus Sergei Tarasevich told the media on 17 November, BelTA has learned.
According to Sergei Tarasevich, since 2010 the national peacekeeping contingent has been taking part in the UN Interim Force in Lebanon mission, where five Belarusian servicemen are currently deployed. There are plans to increase their number. “The participation of the peacekeeping company's units in the mission in Lebanon will be considered in the future,” he added. The Defense Ministry is also working on the company's possible participation in UN international peace and security operations.
Today Belarus celebrates the 10th anniversary of its peacekeeping activities. The company of the 103rd Vitebsk Separate Guards Airborne Brigade makes the core of that force. Peacekeepers are also being trained abroad, including Germany, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Poland and the United Kingdom. Servicemen in those countries take part in peacekeeping and various other courses. They get mountain training in Georgia and Russia. Soldiers also take many hours of English courses and study other necessary subjects.
Eight peacekeepers from the company of the 103rd Brigade took part in the international Cambrian Patrol competition in 2018 and won first place. The total length of the route they covered in 42 hours, carrying out tactical tasks, was more than 60km on heavily rugged terrain.
On 17 November peacekeepers held demonstration sessions on medical training in Vitebsk. They practiced first aid skills in the event of gunfire, as well as after the evacuation of a wounded person from armored vehicles and civilian cars.
Photo by Aleksandr Khitrov
