BEIRUT, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on Friday handed over a cleared minefield to the Lebanese army near the Blue Line in southeastern Lebanon.
This marks the first such transfer "since last year's hostilities," UNIFIL said in a statement.
The humanitarian demining operation, covering nearly 2,000 square meters, started on Aug. 12 and concluded earlier this month in close coordination with the Lebanese army. During the process, UNIFIL deminers found 393 mines, which were destroyed on-site, according to the statement.
UNIFIL said additional cleared minefields are expected to be handed over to the Lebanese army in the coming period.
The resumption of demining activities in southern Lebanon came after a nearly two-year halt due to hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah across the Blue Line, a border demarcation between Lebanon and Israel established by the UN in 2000. ■
