The Chief of Defence accompanies the relief of the first rotation of the Lebanon Brigade's new contingent in Marjayoun

• Admiral Teodoro E. López Calderón met with the Spanish military personnel of BRILIB XLI, thanking them for their work and expressed the commitment to the United Nations mission in southern Lebanon.

The Chief of Defence (JEMAD for its Spanish acronym) has travelled to Lebanon accompanying the first rotation of members of the ‘Guzmán el Bueno’ Brigade who are going to relieve the Spanish military deployed in Marjayoun, in the United Nations mission.

At the ‘Miguel de Cervantes’ Base, the Spanish CHOD was received by General García del Barrio Díez, head of the Lebanon XLI Brigade, alongside the unit commanders.

During the time spent with the Spanish soldiers, Admiral López Calderón conveyed his full support and recognition, while highlighting the commitment of the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Staff to the fulfilment of UN Resolution 1701, which is the mission of the United Nations Mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

At the Spanish Base in southern Lebanon, the Spanish CHOD had the opportunity to listen to the components of the contingent and share impressions with the personnel of the Units. He also visited the different facilities of the Base.

During these days, the Chief of Defence was interested in the complicated circumstances in which the mission was carried out, a situation marked by the confrontation between the Israeli Armed Forces and Hezbollah.

The Spanish CHOD reiterated his deep personal gratitude, and on behalf of all the Armed Forces, for the effort, the capacity for service and the recognised dedication of all the Spanish military during the six months that they have been deployed in this complicated area of operations.

The visit concluded with a meeting with the chiefs and representatives of all the units and facilities of the Base, where the Spanish CHOD was able to see the feelings that arise after such a long time away from their families and friends, as well as the excitement of returning home with the satisfaction of having fulfilled their duty.

General Guillermo García del Barrio, head of the Lebanon XLI Brigade, thanked the Chief of Defence for this visit. During this meeting, they were able to transmit to him the effort and good work carried out on the ground by all the personnel of the Spanish contingent deployed in UNIFIL's Eastern Sector.

Before returning to Spain, the Chief of Defence met in Beirut with his Lebanese counterpart Joseph Aoun, in a meeting attended by the Spanish Ambassador to Lebanon, Jesús Ignacio Santos Aguado.

Later, he also held a meeting with the Spanish General Aroldo Lázaro, Head of the United Nations mission in Lebanon. This mission, UNIFIL, was created in 1978 with the aim of responding to a critical situation in southern Lebanon, where the withdrawal of Israeli forces was to be verified after years of occupation.

This was the beginning of one of the UN's longest peacekeeping missions, designed not only to ensure the departure of foreign troops but also to restore international peace and security in a region marked by conflicts.