They are almost at the heart of the battlefield between Hezbollah and the Israeli army, not quite on the front line, but in the cauldron all the same. Since September 23, the start of the intensification of Israel’s bombing campaign in Lebanon, the 700 French UNIFIL peacekeepers have protected themselves in their Deir Kifa base, resupplied, observed and have even resumed their daily patrol in this area intensely bombarded by the IDF, from which also launch rockets fired by Hezbollah at Israel. And where, since October 1, the two camps have been confronting each other on the ground, in what are said to be fierce battles.
“We were not directly attacked”assures Colonel Marin, commander of the French contingent, reached by telephone in Deir Kifa, “but we are operating in a riskier context. We perceive the activity of the battlefield, the explosions, the blasts, the sound, who accompany them. And “beyond the influence, the damage”, massive, sometimes.
What do they see of the war? It is in the border zone, on a territorial strip 5 kilometers deep, that the fighting, bombings and destruction are the most intense, they observe. “In this area, the population has almost completely fled and 80% of the buildings are destroyed: houses, hangars, businesses, etc.»confides a lieutenant, head of a reconnaissance squadron. “The fighting is concentrated around the Israeli army’s entry points into the Golan area”specifies Colonel Marin.
The Israelis are carrying out targeted ground raids there, combing localities, dismantling tunnels, while their artillery shells positions attributed to the Shiite militia. A militia which has not abandoned the ground and which still puts up fierce resistance. The entire area up to the Litani River, approximately thirty kilometers, is also under massive Israeli fire: “90% of the population fled north of the Litani”adds the French commander.
Adapting to war
In this degraded context, the French peacekeepers have adapted to continue their mission. “In the first days of the bombings, we suspended our patrols, strengthened our security, reorganized our logistics and adapted our needs to the circumstances. » So, as they can no longer get supplies near their base, they now do so from Beirut, every three days.
And they are forced to save fuel, to be more constrained in food: “Our meals are sometimes a little less varied»concedes, smiling, the commander of the French. But communications are working and patrols have resumed, “one per day, for about three hours”, assures the lieutenant. They are carried out in cooperation with the Lebanese army, still present in this area.
These missions allow the peacekeepers to relay information on the state of the roads, the destruction, on the populations still present, and to reaffirm in the eyes of all, belligerents and civilians, their presence. “Last week, we intervened to reopen a road which crossed a village 80% destroyed by the war. The axis was cluttered with debris, munitions and mines. Engineers and mine clearers cleared the road despite close quarters fighting, forcing them to return at night to finish the work », testifies the lieutenant.
Ready to neutralize an enemy
Another important mission for this contingent: ensuring the defense of other UNIFIL bases. “Each base, each contingent has an intervention unit to ensure its defense. We are the “ultima ratio” of the general who commands UNIFIL. That is to say, he can call us to intervene as quickly as possible to neutralize a target attacking the peacekeepers. »
As in the case of the attack by the Israeli tank against a UNIFIL watchtower on October 16? “We could have done it. This is an option available to the general commanding the force, but he has not played it»replies the French commander. Are they ready to do it? If they receive the order, they are able to do it as quickly as possible. But, adds Colonel Marin: “So far, it hasn’t been necessary. »
