Ejército de Tierra

1st Spanish Battalion patrol

Spanish Communication Battalion

On 2nd May 2011, 14th Brigade “Libre Hidalgo” began its mission in Lebanon in compliance with United Nations Council Resolution 170. In formation on Base 'Miguel de Cervantes' in the municipality of Marjayoun, and almost 4,000 kilometres from Spain, 1,004 service personnel relieved the units and forces of the pervious Task Force, which returned with the enormous satisfaction of having fulfilled their duty. General Miguel Alcañiz Comas, commander of 12th Armoured Brigade “Guadarrama”, handed over from General Teodoro Baños, and so assumed command of United Nations Interim Force for Lebanon Multinational Brigade Sector East.

From this Multinational Brigade Headquarters, its bulk made up of Spanish service personnel, command and control is exercised of the whole United Nations operation in the east sector of Lebanon’s southern strip, which extends from the Litany River to the Blue Line separation with Israel. In addition to the Spanish forces, in this Brigade there are units from Indonesia (1100 forces), Nepal (1000), India (900), Malaysia (370), China (60), El Salvador (50) and five service personnel from Serbia. In all, over 4,400 servicepersons are constituted as a fully multinational Brigade under United Nations mandate, which, since 2006, has been led by Spain.

The force for Operation “Libre Hidalgo XIV” (LH XIV) is made up by the 12th Armoured Brigade, which contributes 647 servicepersons, and by force strength, is followed by a Navy Brigade Company with 136 marine infantrymen, the 11th Logistic Group (59 forces), who along with members of the 21st and 61st Groups assure logistic support, as well as a Squadron from 12th Regiment 'Farnesio', based in Valladolid, constituted as a sector reserve unit. Also, 63 service personnel from various Army units, among many others, the Heavy Forces Headquarters, the 8th Engineer Regiment or the Medical Brigade, allow the Spanish force to efficiently fulfil each of its roles as part of the United Nations mission.

Undoubtedly, the United Nations Interim Force for Lebanon Sector East Multinational Brigade Battalions undertake the most outstanding operational mission within the United Nations operation. Deployed at different positions within the Brigade’s area of responsibility, they carry out patrols and cover permanent observation posts to guarantee monitoring of the cessation of hostilities, support and assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces in order to extend their control from the Litany River to the Blue Line agreed with Lebanon as the separation line between it and Israel but without constituting, for the moment, an international border. The Light Protected Task Force 'Wad-Ras' is made up of 614 service personnel from the 61st Armoured Infantry Regiment and the Navy Brigade and form the Spanish Battalion within the scope of the Multinational Brigade. The Spanish Battalion deploys at sensitive points very near the Blue Line, whose security and stability depend to a large degree on the success of the mission and the definitive pacification of this region in the Middle East. Within the Spanish Battalion there is a Platoon from El Salvador included, which with its 47 soldiers, once again, shows the consolidated military co-operation between both countries.

Along with the Spanish Battalion, Battalions deploy from Nepal, Indonesia and India as well as a Company from Malaysia in the East Sector of the Area of Responsibility, all under General Alcañiz’s command. A sustained force that, from permanent positions, guarantees compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 mandate, due to which the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon was strengthened in 2006. This international mandate assigns the force, as principal missions, monitoring the cessation of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel, co-operation with the Lebanese Armed Forces in order for their effective deployment throughout the south of the country, and permanent co-ordination with the Governments of both countries in order to fulfil these military missions. Important missions that, with enormous professionalism and preparation, Brigade “Libre Hidalgo XIV” assumes in order to collaborate in the definitive establishment of peace which is needed for the Middle East Region.