BEIRUT, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Head of Mission and Force Commander of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Stefano Del Col reiterated on Monday the UNIFIL's continued support for Lebanon and its people, according to a statement by the UNIFIL.
"We have donated equipment, expertise, and training to hospitals, schools and communities, and will continue to do so as long as it takes," Del Col said to mark the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers at the mission's headquarters in Naqoura in southern Lebanon.
Del Col paid tribute to the UN peacekeepers around the world for their selfless service in pursuit of lasting peace.
Remarking on the tens of thousands of young peacekeepers currently serving around the world, Del Col said each of them makes a crucial contribution to international peace and security.
During the ceremony, Del Col and Maroun Kobayati, representative of the Lebanese Armed Forces, laid wreaths in tribute to fallen peacekeepers.
Since 1978, 322 UNIFIL peacekeepers have given their lives to the cause of peace in southern Lebanon.
