1.    Genesis.   In May 1958, an armed rebellion broke out in Lebanon. The disturbance which was communal in nature started from Tripoli and soon spread to Beirut and Northern and North Eastern areas of Lebanon. On 11 June 1958, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution, to dispatch an observer group to Lebanon.  UNOGIL was established to ensure that there was no illegal infiltration of personnel or supply of arms or other warlike material across the Lebanese borders.  It was deployed in Lebanon only to ‘observe and report’ and was not tasked to mediate, arbitrate or use force to prevent illegal infiltration.

2.    Contribution.     Indian Army contributed 20 military observers out of a total strength of 591 personnel.  Colonel Ranbir Singh headed the observer group, which successfully completed its assigned tasks.