Xinhua News Agency, Beirut, June 11 (Niu Yanli) China's 18th batch of mine-clearing officers and soldiers to the Lebanon peacekeeping multi-functional engineering unit recently officially went to the area near the "Blue Line" on the border between Lebanon and Israel to carry out humanitarian demining missions. This marked the resumption of humanitarian mine clearance operations by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) that had been interrupted for 10 years.

　　In April this year, Chinese officers and soldiers who went to Lebanon and cleared mines passed the assessments of the United Nations Mine Action Center and the Lebanon Mine Action Center, and were granted humanitarian mine clearance qualifications. After the preliminary minefield survey, Chinese officers and soldiers rushed to the new minefield for the first time on June 1, but were forced to return because of the sensitive and complicated local situation. After being coordinated by the Lebanese government forces, they were able to enter the minefield after 3 days.

　　It is reported that the new minefield is an anti-tank minefield. According to the plan, Chinese officers and soldiers set up on-site control points, mine detector debugging areas, vegetation placement areas and other areas to identify safe areas and dangerous areas near the minefields, arrange for vigilance in place, and arrange minefield clearing work in an orderly manner. As of the 10th, Chinese officers and men have cleared a new minefield area of ​​60 square meters.

　　Humanitarian demining is a demining operation to restore the safe living environment of local people and return the land to normal use. From 2006 to 2010, UNIFIL conducted humanitarian mine clearance within the framework of UN Security Council Resolution 1701. For various reasons, this demining operation was suspended in 2010. Since then, UNIFIL has focused on combat mine clearance operations, mainly to provide security for the "Blue Line" logo, "Blue Line" patrols, and channel maintenance operations, to ensure that UNIFIL effectively carries out its mission.

　　In January this year, Lebanon and the United Nations signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Humanitarian Demining, which authorized UNIFIL to carry out humanitarian demining operations in the southern Lebanese operations area.