The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has declared the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) GHANBATT 92 mission accomplished after a year-long tour of duty in southern Lebanon, where the troops operated under intense and unprecedented security threats.
The battalion, which initially deployed with 862 personnel before its strength was reduced to 615, including 103 females, completed its mandate despite heavy shelling, direct attacks and a volatile security environment.
The Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), Major General Lawrence Kweku Gbetanu, who reviewed the UNIFIL GHANBATT 92 Mission Accomplishment Parade in Accra on Saturday, commended the officers and soldiers for their courage, discipline and professionalism.
He said the traditional peacekeeping mission for which the troops were deployed had transformed into a high-intensity theatre of direct and unprecedented danger following the escalation of geopolitical conflicts in southern Lebanon.
Major General Gbetanu said that despite the dire conditions, the troops upheld the professionalism that had defined the GAF’s participation in international peacekeeping operations.
He recalled that on March 6, Ghana’s Independence Day, two missiles directly hit the battalion headquarters at Al-Qawzah during heavy shelling, destroying vital infrastructure and turning the base into an active combat zone.
He acknowledged the physical, emotional and psychological effects of the incident on personnel, particularly those who sustained injuries and those carrying the invisible burden of trauma.
Major General Gbetanu assured personnel who suffered material losses or bodily injuries that the necessary processes had been initiated to secure the compensation due them. He, however, appealed for patience because of the international administrative procedures involved.
He also assured the returning personnel of continued military support for their recovery and reintegration into their families and respective units.
The COAS noted that medical facilities and psychologists within the various commands would support personnel dealing with the effects of the hostile operational environment.
He further directed that GHANBATT 92 personnel be granted 42 days of disembarkation leave, instead of the usual 30 days, beginning a day after they reported to their respective units.
Major General Gbetanu commended the troops for their bravery, discipline and loyalty to Ghana and declared the GHANBATT 92 mission accomplished and terminated on September 12, 2026.
A citation read by the Chief G3, Peace Support Operations (PSO), Colonel N.S. Nanbigne, commended the battalion for outstanding service, dedication and exemplary conduct in the execution of its peacekeeping duties under UNIFIL.
The battalion was constituted in May 2025 around the 69th Airborne Force and deployed in September 2025 to relieve GHANBATT 91.
Among its achievements was the construction of a fully furnished one-unit accommodation block and storeroom at Bundase before deployment.
In the mission area, the battalion strengthened its positions to protect vulnerable civilians and repaired critical infrastructure damaged by intense crossfire between Hezbollah and the Israel Defence Forces.
It also re-roofed the entire Ali Jafar Block, secured the battalion’s Tactical Operations Centre, and provided humanitarian assistance to communities through civil-military cooperation initiatives.
The GHANBATT band featured prominently at UNIFIL headquarters parades, official ceremonies and social functions, boosting the morale of personnel during the crisis.
The citation also commended the Commanding Officer of UNIFIL GHANBATT 92, Lieutenant-Colonel Evans Yao Mensah Kumeja, for his visionary and courageous leadership.
BY STEPHANIE BIRIKORANG