5th Libre Hidalgo

The Legion Brigade (known as BRILEG), with base in Almería, alongside the 11th Logistic Support Group, from Colmenar Viejo (Madrid), and some other units with a lesser degree of participation, have relieved the 4th Brigade “Libre Hidalgo”, made up of troops from the 11th Mechanised Infantry Brigade “Extremadura”. All in all, the contingent is composed of 1,100 soldiers.

The handover began on 23 March 2008, when five separate groups were sent from Spain to the Spanish base “Miguel de Cervantes”, near the town of Marjayoun. The new 5th Multinational Brigade “Libre Hidalgo”, commanded by General Juan Bautista García Sánchez, assumed control of UNIFIL Sector East on 30 March 2008.

The bulk of the contingent for operation “Libre Hidalgo” V (LH V) comes from BRILEG, which provides almost 750 out of the 1,100 Spanish soldiers. In addition to the Spaniards, the Multinational Brigade Sector East (MNB SECEAST) will include troops from India, Indonesia and Nepal. The four national units within the Brigade will each be deployed in an area of responsibility along the Blue Line, the unofficial border between Lebanon and Israel.

LH VI is made up of 1,100 troops: 350 commanding officers and 750 rank-and-file troops; 1,025 men and 75 women. As for their nationality, 921 are Spanish while 179 are foreigners – the largest group, or 44% of them, from Ecuador.

The Spanish Light Protected Tactical Battalion will be backed by a Polish company; in addition, MNB SECEAST will count with a protection force from Malaysia. As a multinational unit, its HQ will include personnel from all the aforementioned countries. The foreign contingents are currently in the field alongside LH IV, whose mission will come to a close within a few weeks. Altogether, MNB SECEAST has over 3,500 troops.

MNB SECEAST is led by Spain and deployed in the eastern sector of the UNIFIL area, i.e. the territory between the Litani River in the north, the Blue Line in the south, the Italian-led western sector in the west and the Israeli-occupied Syrian territory in the east. The different brigades are spread over the territory under the responsibility of UNIFIL, currently under the command of Italian Divisional General Claudio Graciano; there are also Spanish personnel posted at its Naqoura HQ.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) acts under a UN mandate according to Security Council Resolution 1701 and has as its main tasks ensuring the observance of the cessation of hostilities, supporting and assisting the Lebanese Armed Forces to extend their control south of the Litani River and favouring the supply of humanitarian aid to the civilian population.

LH V will be stationed at the “Miguel de Cervantes” base near Marjayoun and positioned at different points along the Blue Line.