By Zhang Boyu, Tan Junyang, Gao Yan, Zeng Xuetong

The 23rd Chinese peacekeeping force to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) is conducting the humanitarian demining operations close to the Blue Line separating Israel and Lebanon.

The mines to be disposed of are the legacy anti-personnel landmines of the 1970s buried in the MF1248 minefield, with extremely unstable performance due to age. Demining operators must concentrate on the task, as even the slightest inattention could lead to serious consequences.

The Chinese peacekeepers operate within a passage that is just over one meter wide every time, holding the mine detectors and identifying every weak signal.

In addition to the legacy landmines, the demining operators have to deal with complex environments with dense vegetation. Every move of detection and digging is a stern test of the skills and psychology of the demining operators, but these endeavors represent the ultimate protection of life safety.

Since its deployment in December 2024, the 23rd Chinese peacekeeping force to the UNIFIL has cleared more than 5,300 square meters of minefields, found and destroyed 667 pieces of landmines and other unexploded munitions. Those figures highlight the efforts of the Chinese peacekeepers in implementing the commitment of "maintaining world peace".

(Video Editor: Du Xuanwei)