UNIFIL donates over 100 vehicles and equipment to Lebanese Army in support boost

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) handed over more than 100 vehicles and other equipment to the Lebanese Armed Forces on Tuesday, in a ceremony aimed at strengthening the army’s operational and logistical capacities.

The donation included 101 items ranging from four-wheel drive vehicles, cargo trucks, water tankers, ambulances, and luggage transport vehicles.
 
UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Maj. Gen. Diodato Abagnara and Brig. Gen. Walid Abou Chaar, representing Army Commander Gen. Joseph Aoun, signed the official documents marking the transfer.

“This donation demonstrates UNIFIL’s steadfast support to its strategic partner, the Lebanese Armed Forces,” Lázaro said in his remarks, adding that cooperation between the two forces “remains one of the cornerstones of stability in South Lebanon.” 

He noted that the equipment will boost the army’s mobility, protection, and operational response while reinforcing state authority within UNIFIL’s area of operations.

For his part, Brig. Gen. Abou Chaar welcomed the donation, saying it will strengthen the army’s ability to safeguard Lebanon’s security and stability. 

“Our ongoing cooperation with UNIFIL has allowed the army to make significant progress in developing logistical support systems for its units, a key component closely tied to operational readiness,” he said.

The donation falls under the Strategic Dialogue process launched in 2010 in line with U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, which guides UNIFIL’s mandate. 

Since 2013, UNIFIL has provided the Lebanese security forces with a range of resources, including vehicles, prefabricated buildings, generators, shipping containers, and IT equipment, alongside bilateral support from troop-contributing countries.

UNIFIL announced that it will deliver a similar donation next week to Lebanon’s General Security Directorate, the agency tasked with national security threats and border protection.