Ejército de Tierra

10th Mechanised Infantry Brigade “Guzmán el Bueno” (BRIMZ X), a unit based in Córdoba strengthened with logistic elements belonging to the 21st Logistic Support Group, based in Seville, a Navy Brigade unit from San Fernando (Cádiz) and to a lesser degree personnel from various Army and Civil Guard Units, to complete a force of 1,040 service persons, has handed over from members of Task Force “Libre Hidalgo XII”, belonging to 2nd Cavalry Brigade “Castillejos”.

On 9th December 2010, relief began by means of four rotations that projected the new force from Spain to Spanish Base “Miguel de Cervantes”, near the locality of Marjayoún. The new 13th Multinational Lebanon Brigade, at the command of General Teodoro Baños Alonso, assumed control of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon East sector on 14th December 2010.

The Force for Operation “Libre Hidalgo XIII” has core troops from the 10th Mechanised Infantry Brigade which contributed the bulk of the 1,040 Spanish forces.  As an innovation on the present rotation, logistic support will be provided by the 10th Logistics Group, organic to the 10th Mechanised Infantry Brigade, with support from the 21st Logistic Support Group.
As well, to make up United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon Multinational Brigade East, there will be forces from India, Indonesia and Nepal which, along with the Spanish Battalion Task Force form the four manoeuvre units of Multinational Brigade East that deploy in the area of responsibility where a stretch of blue line, or established border between Lebanon and Israel, is included for each of them.

The Spanish Light Protected Task Force will continue to have a Unit from El Salvador, currently in the Area of Operations.  Finally, Multinational Brigade East has a field hospital from the People’s Republic of China.  Due to its condition as a multinational unit, its Headquarters will integrate personnel from the mentioned countries along with personnel from Malaysia, Serbia and Brunei. The total number of Multinational Brigade East forces is around 4,400.
Multinational Brigade East, led by Spain, deploys in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon East sector in an area bounded on the north by the Litani River, on  the south by the Blue Line, on the West by Multinational Brigade West, led by Italy and on the East by the Syrian border, although in territory occupied by Israel.  These brigades share the entire United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon area of responsibility, which has Spanish personnel serving at their Headquarters located in Naqoura.

UNIFIL, or United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, acts under UNO mandate, according to Resolution 1701 of its Security Council and has the principal missions of monitoring the cessation of hostilities, supporting and assisting the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Lebanese Government in order to extend their control to the south of the Litani River and promoting access to humanitarian relief to the civilian population.  Task Force Libre Higalgo XIII is detached on Base “Miguel de Cervantes” in the vicinity of Marjayoún and at two different positions along the Blue Line.