LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Half of the Armed Forces of Malta soldiers stationed in Lebanon have returned to Malta, while the other half is expected to return this week. A spokesperson for the Armed Forces of Malta has not confirmed the reason for their return. Seven Maltese soldiers, who voluntarily signed up for a six-month peacekeeping mission close to the Israeli border, were stationed in Lebanon. The soldiers were part of a United Nations peacekeeping mission known as the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) which has around 10,500 peacekeepers from 50 contributing countries. The Maltese soldiers were stationed in Camp Shamrock with Irish, Polish, and Hungarian troops. Concerns were raised late last month after Israel escalated its conflict with Lebanon, in particular the Iran-backed group, Hezbollah. Home affairs ministers of the EU member states, also part of UNIFIL, held a meeting on 16 October where the situation along the Israel-Lebanon border was discussed.
The Foreign Ministry in Malta insisted on the importance of prioritizing the safety of UNIFIL soldiers.
(ITALPRESS).
-Photo credit: Ipa Agency-
