BEIRUT, July 28 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said Tuesday that its explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams had discovered and safely neutralized about four tonnes of explosive materials in southern Lebanon.
In a statement, UNIFIL said that on July 2, peacekeepers conducting a routine route clearance near the border village of Houla discovered 385 abandoned containers inside a building, containing about 4,000 kg of explosives, primarily ammonium nitrate compounds.
EOD specialists assessed the risk and successfully neutralized the materials, the statement said.
It added that on July 10, a UNIFIL patrol found the wreckage of an unmanned aerial vehicle near a UN position in southern Lebanon. EOD experts secured the area, confirmed the presence of explosive components inside the drone, and safely neutralized them on site.
UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Diodato Abagnara emphasized the growing importance of such operations.
"Every explosive device safely neutralized helps create safer conditions for our operations and contributes to long-term stability in southern Lebanon," Abagnara said.
Despite recent improvements in the security situation, UNIFIL noted that explosive remnants of war and other explosive hazards continue to pose risks across parts of southern Lebanon.
It added that EOD teams are continuing to clear routes used by peacekeepers and supporting safer conditions for the gradual return of residents to their villages.
