An Cosantóir

Trail 12 | The Naqoura By Wesley Bourke Photos by Cpl Colum Lawlor For anyone who hasn't served with UNIFIL before, landing in Beirut can be a bit of a culture- and climate-shock. The three hour drive south along the coast to Camp 246 takes you past some breath-taking scenery. You pass mosques; Crusader ruins; olive, banana and citrus plantations; and even, to remind you of Western influences, a KFC. And even though it may be winter it can still hit the mid-20oC. Situated in east of the Mediterranean the Lebanese Republic ( )ةينانبللا ةيروهمجلاis a beautiful country with a rich history shaped by a diverse ethnic and religious culture. To the east and north is Syria, to the south Israel. It has a population of 4,125,247, predominantly Muslim, and has Arabic and French as its two official languages. Over ni Hasbayya INDIA 4-2 Marjayoun BANGLADESH -2 vessels INDONESIA - 1 vessel TURKEY - 1 vessel Zawtar ash Sharqiyat nea M d e M eed iitte r r a n e a nn Se a S ea ani Lit Tayr Falsayh Shhur TAoA MALAYSIA Tura HQ UNIFIL 7-2 4-23 Ibil 4-1 as Saqy Al Qulayah 9-66 9-2 INDONESIA Kafr Kila 4-7A Shaba 4-14 4-7C 4-13 EL SALVADOR SECTOR EAST Hebbariye Kafr Hammam L E B A N O N Khiyam Al Harat al Hart Shwayya Kafr Shuba 4-30 Halta 3690000N S Y R I A N 4-31 Bastra 4-34 4-28 al GREECE - 1 vessel 0000N 3700000N 7-4 4-23 7-3 ss CHINA -A CAMBODIA Lita SPAIN GERMANY - 3 vessels al MP INDONESIA Arab Republic di 00N MALAYSIA SPAIN MTF BRAZIL - 1 vessel 760000E 750000E 740000E 730000E 720000E 710000E 700000E the centuries Lebanon has been invaded or occupied by the Egyptian, Persian, Assyrian, Hellenic, Roman, Eastern Roman, Arab, Seljuk, Mamluk, and Ottoman empires, as well as by the Crusaders, and in later times the French. During the handover from 106 Inf Bn to 107 Inf Bn we met up with Sgt Willie O'Connor, B Coy, 106 Inf Bn. Sgt O'Connor, who was helping the new arrivals zero their weapons on a range outside Naqoura, was completing his sixth tour in South Lebanon. On the drive back up to Camp 246 the journey took us on the route the Irish used to run from Camp Shamrock down to the border town on the shores of the Mediterranean. As we drove, our route took us past LAF checkpoints and barracks, UNIFIL patrols, citrus and banana plantations, goat and sheep herders, and minefield signs: through a dusty landscape that at times is juxtaposed with that of green cultivated fields on the Israeli side of the border. "The people here are very friendly. They know we are here to protect them," Sgt O'Connor told us. "As long as you respect their culture and way of life you will get along fine." Everyone serving overseas is always given culture awareness brief but you really don't understand until you see it for yourself. Passing through villages we saw some women wearing hijabs, others with burqas, and as many again wearing Western-style clothes. The most striking thing about the men is the high proportion with beards. Many have very large beards that they pride themselves on. ITALY Sur (Tyre) 2-5 KOREA Marrakah MALAYSIA Barish GHANA Wa Majdal Shams Metulla Al Ghajar 9-15 9-64 Mughr Shaba At Tayyabah ha Qabrik Addaisseh Misgav Am INDONESIA 2-1 Mas'adah Dan 9-63 Tulin 3680000N TAoA ITALY Yahun Tayr Kafr Kefar Gil'adi Markaba INDIA & INDONESIA GHANA Zibna Dunin Khirbat Dafna S E C T O R W E S T TAoA HaGosherim Majdal Silm MAR Jwayya MAR Ar Rashidiyah Ayn Bal Margaliyyot SRI LANKA Silm NEPAL 8-33 80000N MALAYSIA TURKEY Qiryat Shemona CIMIC ITALY (-) Dayr Qana Houla 8-32 IRELAND 2-4 Manara Qanun 8-32A Shaqra 8-31 IA MP TANZAN Tibnin 6-43 Deployment CHINA ITALY Al 8-30 6-5 6-16 Brashit 6-40 Qulaylah HQ OGL ITALY Mar ch 201 2 Kafra Haris ITALY 5-10 Haddathah Mays al Jabal 8-34 Al Mansuri 2-2 UNIFIL position 9-10 SLOVENIA BELGIUM Zibqin 1-26 Yatar Rshaf OGL patrol base Blida 2-31 2-3 Majdal Zun 6-44 MP TANZANIA Yiftah Al Bayyadah Operational boundary 8-36 FRANCE 3670000N Bayt Lif 5-66 2-45 At Tiri FCR Shama s (TAoA) 2-46 PORTUGAL Aytarun Temporary Area of Activitie Ramot GHANA Dibil Tayr Harfa Shihin Naftali Jubayl Inter-battalion boundary Bint Ramyah 5-21 Naqoura Alma HIN 6-52 5-42 Ayta ash Shaab Force Commander Reserve 1-0A RAS 1-21 FCR 3-1 ash Shab 5-20 Yarin OP Avivim Yarun Dishon TAoA Battalion Yesud TAoA Marwahin Zarit 1-32A LAB 1-31 Hamaala Shomera Shetula Rmeich Yir'on 6 7 8 9 10 km 0 1 2 3 4 5 Rosh 6-50 5-22 Hanita Adamit Alma Baram Even 6 mi 5 ra 4 3 HaNiq 2 1 Yara Eilon 0 Menahem Sede Shelomi Dovev Rihaniya outside of sector r * Located Elieze Nahariyya Fassut Shabriha LOG AUSTRIA 7-1 FCR FRANCE 9-10 9-1 UNIFIL shown and the The boundaries and names this map do not imply designations used on acceptance by the official endorsement or United Nations. 700000E 28E Map No. 4144 Rev. March 2012 (Colour) I S R A E L An Cosantóir Feb 2013 www.dfmagazine.ie UNITED NATION S 710000E 720000E 730000E 740000E 750000E 760000E Support Departm ent of Field Cartogr aphic Section

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