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United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was established by Security Council Resolutions 425 (1978) and 426 (1978) of 19 March 1978, to confirm Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon, restore international peace and security and assist the Lebanese government with restoring its effective authority in the area. After the conflict between Israel and Lebanon in the summer of 2006, UNIFIL was empowered in addition to its original mandate by UN Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006) of 11 August 2006, to monitor the cessation of hostilities, accompany and support the Lebanese armed forces as they deploy throughout the south of Lebanon and extend its assistance to help ensure humanitarian access to civilian populations and the voluntary and safe return of displaced persons. As of March 2008 the mission was composed of 12,341 military personnel, supported by 304 international civilian and 604 local civilian staff. The state contibutors are: Belgium, China, Croatia, Cyprus, France, FYR of Macedonia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg, Malaysia, Nepal, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Slovenia, Spain, Tanzania and Turkey. Sources: UNIFIL official site MAP Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General on the Lebanon bomb attack on UN peacekeepers, 25 June 2007.
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