1st Libre Hidalgo

On 30 October 2006 the Legion began its mission in the south-eastern sector of Lebanon, one of the two sectors in the area of deployment of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), hitherto under the command of the Marine Infantry Expeditionary Force.

The assumption of command by General Juan Bautista García Sánchez, who is at the head of the Spanish-led multinational brigade, marks the beginning of the second phase of deployment for the Blue Helmets which commenced after the ceasefire demanded by UN Resolution 1701, unanimously approved by the Security Council on 11 August.

On 7 September the Spanish Congress ratified the UN Resolution and the next day Spain sent to Lebanon its first contingent, made up of Marine Infantry soldiers and 76 Army soldiers from HQ, Signals, the Legion and Logistic Support, as well as an NBC unit. Later on 171 more Army troops would arrive, most of them from the Deployment Support Unit, which is made up of personnel from the Engineering Specialties Regiment (from Salamanca) and the Pontoneers & Engineering Specialties Regiment (from Zaragoza).

The second Spanish expedition to Lebanon began on 21 October when the naval vessels “Galicia” and “Pizarro” left the Spanish shores. The country contributes 1,100 soldiers to UNIFIL – 710 of them from the Legion, which leads and provides the bulk of the troops for the UN brigade deployed along this Lebanese strip.

The contingent also includes a Cavalry Squadron from the Regiment “Lusitania” together with Intelligence, Signals, Sappers and Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) units, as well as a Logistic Support unit from 1st Land Logistic Force. The Spanish soldiers deployed between the Israeli border and the Litani River are stationed at the Spanish base “Miguel de Cervantes”, which is in the municipal district of Blat near the village of Marjayoun.

The “Cervantes” base has become the headquarters of the UNIFIL Multinational Brigade and it flies the Spanish flag since 21 September.